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Executive Vehicle and Secure Transportation Survey Results
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THE RESULTS OF THE 2021 THE EXECUTIVE VEHICLE & SECURE TRANSPORTATION SURVEY.
The survey has been conducted biennially since 2013. Over the last eight years, the surveys have covered various aspects of Secure Transportation. The goal of the survey is to examine trends and collect data to develop a broader perspective of the secure transportation profession and share that information with the community.
THE RESULTS
Question 1 - What Type of Vehicle Do You Drive for Executive Transportation work?
Every year the first question asked is what type of vehicle or vehicles do you use for Secure Transportation – Sedan – SUV – Van or other types of vehicle. SUVs are the vehicle of choice, and it has been that way since 2013. 61% of the participants use SUV’s and 31% are using Sedans. Every year since 2013, the most used vehicle is an SUV. The percentage of those that use SUVs has not changed significantly in that time.
Question 2 and 3 Do you regularly use a Hybrid Vehicle for Executive Transportation? - Do you regularly use an Electric Vehicle for Executive Transportation?
This year we added some questions about electric and hybrid vehicles. With all the discussion concerning Hybrid and Electric Vehicle. Very few practitioners are using these types of vehicles 8% are using Hybrids, and 2% are using Electric vehicles.
But ISDA feels that will be changing, maybe not in the near future, but eventually, there will be few vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE) available. This will present a unique scenario in the Secure Transportation industry. This issue of EPST has an article covering Electric Vehicles. ISDA is producing a white paper on secure Transportation and the electric vehicle.
Question 4 - What is the risk level of the Security Environment you most often drive through?
75% drive in a low-risk environment, 26% in a high risk, and 2% in a war zone;
The percentage driving in a low risk is the highest since we have been conducting the survey which is eight years; this could be due to the Pandemic or that the high-risk jobs are decreasing.
Questions 5 – 6 and 7 were about training
Have you successfully completed a Security Driver Training program? - Have you successfully completed a Surveillance Detection training program? - Have you successfully completed an Executive Protection training program? Looking at the ISDA network, there is no surprise that 80% of those who participated in the survey have gone to a security driving program. What was surprising is the number of practitioners who have been to a surveillance detection program that may be due to our network.
Security Driving 80%of the participants have attended a Security Driving Program - 74% Surveillance Detection 74%, and 84% an EP Program.
Questions 8 – 9
What sector of the profession do you work in? - How many years of experience do you have working in the Secure Transportation/EP profession?
The Corporate 25% participants work in Corporate, 14%Private, 11 % HNW, 5%Government, and 4% LEO.
52% of the practitioners have more than 16 years in the profession.
Questions 10 – 11 – 12
Were about Armored Vehicles - Do you Drive an Armored Vehicle? - If you drive an Armored Vehicle, what type do you drive? - If you drive an Armored Vehicle - to What Level is the vehicle armored? 23
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Sixty-three percent of those who took part in the survey DO NOT use an armored vehicle.
Of the thirty-seven percent who use armored vehicles, their vehicles are armored to levels B5 and B6.
Those that driver 47% use SUVs and 28% use Sedans
As a side note, there still seems to be confusion concerning the levels of armor and use of the word “bulletproof.” No vehicle is bulletproof, and vehicles marketed as such should be used with caution.
Note – The use of armored vehicles has fluctuated from 15.5% in 2013 to 22.9% in 2015 and 14.1% in 2017. In 2019 the number of participants using armored vehicles jumped to thirty-six percent. That is more than double the amount reported in the last survey (2017) and thirteen percent from the highest usage (2015).
Question 13 - Do you use rental vehicles while supplying protective or secure transportation services?
Fifty-eight percent of the participants use rental vehicles. This number has gone down compared to other years. We urge caution when using rental vehicles.
For more information on car rentals pertaining to secure Transportation, read this article from Vehicle Dynamics Institute. Also, download this free rental vehicle checklist for secure transportation providers. Question - 14 If you do rent vehicles - Which vehicle type is usually rented?
The vehicle most often rented was an SUV – 67% and Sedans 18%
This reinforces the need to have a driver who understands the differences between the driving characteristics of sedans and SUVs. It is also essential that the driver recognizes the vehicle warning systems, for example, blind side detection. In an emergency, the car supplies the driver with a warning— and it should not be the first time the driver has heard this signal. The time wasted determining the problem can—and will— be dangerous for both the driver and the passengers. Question -15 When traveling, do you hire drivers? Forty-six percent of participants employ security drivers when traveling— a figure much lower than our initial expectation.
This indicates a need for security drivers who have an understanding of the IRS code for secure Transportation. Private security historically has supplied unqualified drivers. Using security drivers also requires an understanding of the IRS regulation governing secure Transportation.
Question 16 created an interesting data point - 62% do not hire subcontractors to supply secure Transportation. This number could be a product of the Pandemic.
Question 17 - Are you aware/knowledgeable of the IRS code governing Secure Transportation? 59% do not know of the IRS - If a provider supplies “secure transportation,” they must comply with the IRS code that defines secure Transportation. There are many secure
transportation providers that use those two words as a marketing tool, but if a supplier does not comply with the IRS code, they expose their client to financial risk.
Question - 19 If you use a backup vehicle, what is the vehicle type of the vehicle?
64% use SUVs as a backup vehicle
Question 20 In What Country Do You Reside? Although the survey is distributed to a worldwide market, the results are US-centric. 64% of the participants are from the US, and the other participants are from more than 25 countries.
COVID QUESTIONS
Question - 21 Are you Implementing A COVID 19 Protocol in your Secure Transportation/ EP Services? 84% are implementing a COVID-19 plan for their vehicles
Question 22 If you rent vehicles, do you have an SOP in place for dealing with COVID?
63% will have a COVID-19 plan in place for rental vehicles
Question- 22 Do you require drivers and support personnel to be vaccinated for Covid?
62% will require proof of vaccination
If you plan on supplying secure Transportation, you need to get a handle on what it takes to meet the market’s needs. We suggest all those involved in Secure Transportation take a look at the COVID-19 page on our website. 25
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