The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently announced the beginning of its Hazardous Materials Safety and Security Field Operational Test to measure the effectiveness of  “superhighway” or intelligent security technologies.

“This operational test will help improve security and will help spur innovative technologies for safeguarding hazardous materials in the future,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said.

A prototype test is scheduled later this month, with full-scale testing to begin in late August. The test will involve 100 trucks equipped with several existing technologies. Among the areas to be tested:

• Driver verification using password logins, fingerprint biometrics and smart cards;
• Vehicle and load tracking, using satellites and other wireless systems;
• Off-route and stolen vehicle alerts, using “geo-fencing”;
• Cargo tampering alerts, using electronic seals; and
• Driver distress alerts, using driver panic buttons; and remote vehicle disabling in instances of known terrorist attacks.