Outpost claims new platform a ‘paradigm shift’ for trucking yards

Truck parking provider Outpost is launching a new technology platform that includes artificial intelligence software that can identify vehicles and detect damage on trucks.

On Thursday, July 11, Outpost announced the introduction of its new technology platform that allows customers to find, book and manage truck parking and gives them access to cameras that can verify the location and condition of their tractor-trailers.

Outpost’s technology platform is like other truck parking services in that it allows truckers and fleet owners to locate and book parking while providing details about amenities and real-time parking information. However, proprietary hardware also offers advanced surveillance, identification and detection software powered by AI that no other company offers.

Most notably, truckers will be greeted at a facility’s entrance by a kiosk that requires a code to unlock the gate. That is nothing new, but the four cameras on the kiosk are. Using AI technology, those cameras will capture information that owners can use to track their assets.

Specifically, Outpost’s technology platform will read license plates to verify which tractors and trailers are entering the yard. More pertinent to equipment owners, the tech can also identify DOT, MC, tractor and trailer numbers, ensuring that only authorized equipment gains access. If a tractor or trailer is swapped mid-route, an Outpost customer will know about it. This has the potential to identify unauthorized double-brokering.

In addition to identifying equipment, Outpost’s cameras can also detect visible damage on tractors and trailers.

For example, if a truck rolls up with a gash along the side of the trailer, AI software will identify the damage and capture an image highlighting the damage, which will be sent to the owner of the Outpost account.

All the above information captured by Outpost’s technology platform is included in a report sent to customers once their truck enters the facility. The “Arrival Event Details” include the date, time, location, tractor ID/plate number, trailer ID/plate number, DOT number and images of the vehicle. If damage is detected, a note will provide details along with an image.

The technology platform incentivizes fleet owners to book truck parking at Outpost facilities as much as possible. By doing so, they receive timestamped tracking supplemented with photo and video evidence.

“If you think about it, it’s a checkpoint,” Outpost Chief Technology Officer Greg Akselrod told Land Line. “You don’t have to exclusively use Outpost to get a ton of value from it, but by flowing in and out of our yards, you’re able to kind of run it through this inspection.”

Outpost’s AI technology continues after trucks enter the facility. An intrusion detection system scans the perimeter of the yard for unusual activity. If a person or vehicle crosses an area unauthorized, an internal alarm is triggered, prompting a call to local authorities or warning the intruder through a speaker system. Unlike a human security guard, the system can surveil every square inch of the perimeter 24/7.

Akselrod called Outpost’s new technology platform “a paradigm shift in the way that real estate is used in freight.”

He said carriers will be able to expand into areas where they previously could not grow their business. Additionally, video and photo technology provides peace-of-mind tracking that a GPS ping cannot.

“We think that this increased level of trust, visibility and flexibility are going to unlock a whole bunch of new scenarios where you’re going be able to run your fleet better on Outpost than you could even at your own private yards.”

Currently, the new technology platform has been installed at a handful of Outpost’s 21 locations. The company plans to roll out the tech at remaining locations throughout the summer. More information can be found at Outpost.us. LL