Outpost has launched a new technology platform that helps fleets and owner-operators book truck parking nationwide while giving fleet managers and operations teams visibility into their assets’ location and condition.
“Terminals and truck yards provide critical infrastructure for streamlining the flow of freight, but they’ve traditionally been locked away to very few enterprise fleets that can afford the associated capital expense and operational burden,” said Outpost co-founder and CEO, Trent Cameron. “With Outpost technology, we’re democratizing access to this real estate—giving fleets of all sizes a yard network that they can use as their own, with control over access and visibility into everything that happens onsite.”
The company has begun rolling out the integrated hardware, software, and cloud services at its 21 truck yards with plans to accelerate deployment to most properties over the summer.
Parking has traditionally been an inefficient and frustrating part of fleet operations and truck driving. Finding yards along key routes or near customer sites requires online research followed by phone calls and emails to determine space availability, amenities, and rates. Choosing a yard is often a leap of faith, trusting in the operator’s claims of security and quality standards rather than verifiable information. Access control differs from yard to yard, creating check-in headaches and increasing turn times. Individual billing and overage policies require a patchwork of relationships with dozens of yards. And without any visibility into yard operations, fleets are often blind to the location and condition of their assets.
“Many truck yards and terminals remain absent from the digital landscape, operating with manual processes for reservations, access control, and billing, unable to provide customers with visibility or reassurance into the status of their assets,” said Outpost CTO, Greg Akselrod. “By deploying a consistent technology platform, we’re improving the driver experience at each yard while providing fleets with a new way to remotely manage their assets at scale.”
According to Outpost, its new technology platform is a direct response to these challenges, informed by the company’s experience as a truck yard owner and operator. The platform combines proprietary hardware, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, computer vision, video streaming, inventory management and analytics to give trucking companies a virtual network of their own terminals, connecting operations teams with their equipment and drivers while providing a level of control and visibility previously unattainable.
In addition to enabling customers to find, book, and manage parking reservations at yards across the US, Outpost’s platform provides:
- Real-time inventory, showing the number of trucks, trailers and personal vehicles parked at each yard.
- Unique access codes for each location or driver, including one-time use for temporary access.
- Asset identification using AI with human verification to read license plates as well as USDOT, MC, tractor, and trailer numbers.
- Asset condition assessment using AI to identify visible damage to the tractor and trailer.
- Intrusion detection using AI to scan perimeter fencing for unusual activity.
- Live and on-demand video of every entrance and exit to confirm driver identification, equipment condition, and time of access.
“Outpost is modernizing truck and trailer parking by using new, innovative technology,” said Vice President of Terminal Management at Werner Enterprises, Ryan Gass. “Our professional drivers appreciate the easy in and out experience, we get peace of mind in knowing that our customers’ cargo and equipment is secure, and the visibility we have of our assets is extremely convenient.”
Starting July 11, Outpost customers can begin remotely managing and monitoring their fleets at select yards across the US. For more information, visit outpost.us/tech.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
