AUSTIN, Texas and SEATTLE, Wash. — Outpost is launching its second-generation gate automation platform, including a new kiosk, expanded machine vision capabilities and operational tools that further automate facility gates and security operations.
“Visibility at the gate is critical to controlling facility costs, maintaining security and providing food safety protection across the supply chain, yet staffing reliable gate operations has remained a persistent challenge,” said Mitch Harper, area general manager at United States Cold Storage. “Outpost is uniquely closing that gap without adding headcount or complexity to our operations, giving our teams real-time visibility into what’s happening at the gate. We’re already seeing faster throughput and fewer manual interventions.”
The company’s technology now processes more than 3 million gate events annually across Outpost’s terminal network and customer sites.
Serving a Growing Customer Base
“Outpost designed its new kiosk from the ground up based on the requirements of its growing customer base, which includes the nation’s largest truckload and intermodal operators, cold chain warehousing providers, CPG manufacturers and EV charging providers,” Outpost said. “The kiosk can be installed in as little as one day, a timeline previously unachievable in an industry where deployments often take months. Once operational, the platform can reduce gate operating costs by up to 70%, replacing manual staffing that typically runs $25,000 or more per gate per month”
Key Features
- Engine-canceling microphones: Custom-engineered mics isolate the driver’s voice over diesel engine noise and heavy equipment, enabling faster check-ins without requiring drivers to turn off their engines or exit the cab.
- Integrated displays: Dual screens at truck and car height provide drivers with real-time transcription in multiple languages and on-site navigation with yard maps and turn-by-turn directions to assigned spaces or dock doors.
- Reefer monitor recognition: Updated computer vision models read temperature and fuel levels from reefer monitors, creating a verified record of trailer condition at arrival and departure.
- Multi-camera vehicle tracking: The platform now correlates data across multiple cameras, improving vehicle matching accuracy and reducing the need for human review. This contrasts traditional automated gate systems that require overhead camera arrays and multiple installation points per lane.
- Advanced seal, lock and latch verification: Outpost’s computer vision analyzes every seal and latch for presence, integrity, and tampering indicators, reducing reliance on manual inspection for high-value and temperature-controlled freight.
- Dedicated driver’s license scanner. Integrated credential scanning enables identity verification directly at the kiosk without requiring mobile devices or secondary workflows.
Expanded Operator Tools
Alongside the kiosk and computer vision updates, Outpost is expanding the operator tools that give customers improved visibility and real-time control over their gate operations. A new pooled operator model allows multiple remote employees to coordinate across yards and share workloads, reducing staffing requirements while maintaining full coverage across facilities. A detailed gate event timeline provides an audit trail for every transaction, including driver inputs, captured images and data, automated decisions and any manual overrides.
Demand for Outpost Gate Automation
According to Outpost, demand for Outpost Gate Automation has accelerated since its initial August 2025 release. In the first 4 months of 2026, Outpost has signed contracts for nearly 50 new locations at industrial facilities across the country.
“This is the first system of its kind that deploys in one day and eliminates costly gate labor while improving facility efficiency and security,” said Greg Akselrod, Outpost CTO. “Every upgrade in this release is based on learnings across millions of production gate events, from inspection accuracy to driver throughput to exception management. By running the platform across our own network of 30+ terminals, we experience the edge cases, environmental extremes, operational bottlenecks, and driver friction firsthand, allowing us to solve problems on our own turf before a customer ever experiences them.”
Outpost Gate Automation is available to shippers, enterprise fleets, and industrial facility operators across the U.S. To learn more or request a demo, click here or email [email protected].
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.
