M2SYS, Dearman in deal to secure transportation of hazardous materials

We reported above on the growing government scrutiny of security measures at chemical plants. Here is a development which will contribute to the safety of transporting chemicals across the country. Atlanta, Georgia-based M2SYS Technology has finalized a long-term agreement with Tucson, Arizona-based Dearman Systems, a provider of terminal automation software for the bulk petroleum and chemical distribution industry. The collaboration will allow Dearman’s customers better to identify persons transporting hazardous materials and cargo truckloads to many high security sites throughout the U.S.

The United States now ships more than 300 billion ton-miles of hazardous materials annually. These materials are worth more than $650 billion. This cargo is also extremely dangerous as it includes explosives, gases, flammable liquids, flammable solids, oxidizers, and organic peroxides, toxins, radioactive materials, corrosive materials, and other miscellaneous dangerous goods which could be a major threat to homeland security if handled by the wrong people (as Les Dearman, president of Dearman Systems, says: “Those operating the vehicles transporting these materials can be just as, if not more, of a threat to the nation’s security than the materials themselves”). Integrating M2SYS’ fingerprint software in Dearman’s terminal automation solution to identify authorized truck drivers, will improve the security of hazardous material transportation.