Heavy construction equipment loss is on the rise. In 1989, in florida alone, loss from stolen heavy construction equipment reached more than $9 million in value. A study was undertaken to identify current state practices and laws governing the administration of heavy construction equipment. Part of the objective was to determine whether registration has helped reduce equipment loss. By means of a questionnaire states were asked to identify registration problems and costs associated with equipment registration. The study also considered input from manufacturers, insurance companies, contractors, and law enforcement officials regarding the feasibility of registering heavy construction equipment. Various equipment identification procedures were studied to identify meaningful alternatives to equipment registration that could reduce equipment loss. The survey indicated that construction equipment owners are against equipment registration. One suggestion is that the state could include heavy construction equipment with existing motor vehicle registration. This could be doneby requiring a photograph of the equipment at the time of registration along with product identification number or manufacturer's statement of origin. As an alternative, each state could work closely with equipment owners and private companies. A combined effort could help develop a centralized data base to keep equipment records and to facilitate the recovery of lost equipment. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1310, Construction innovations 1991.
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