Is a center dowel a must for a stacked 8, 6, 4 inch tiered cake?

It will be traveling about a half hour to its destination.

Many people will say that there is no need for a center dowel, especially if you have a good support system. When I am stacking cakes with dowels and boards, however, a center dowel gives me peace of mind if nothing else.

I do not think it is a must, but I like to do it.

Better safe than sorry :)

AI personally despise sticking pieces of wood in my cake, but will do it on the rare occasion that someone else will be transporting it.

AI put 2 offset dowels through all my tiered cakes.

AI never use a center dowel. I use SPS.