• A company should protect its motor carrier yard with a perimeter fence and No Trespassing signs.

Perimeter fencing and signage are some of the most important elements of a motor carrier’s yard security.

Perimeter fencing

The perimeter of any motor carrier’s yard facility should be protected by a security fence to keep unauthorized persons out and to provide some level of privacy. Look for the following when planning or maintaining a perimeter fence:

• Fencing should be at least eight feet high, securely anchored, and topped with a barbed wire section angled outward at a 45-degree angle.
• Chain-link fence should be at least nine-gauge or heavier, with openings no larger than two inches.
• The barrier should be hard to climb over or penetrate. Pay particular attention to areas where it butts up against a building (there may be gaps, or the building may help an intruder to scale the wall or fence).
• Maintain an adequate clearing on both sides of the barrier (for example, don’t plant trees, park vehicles, or store large materials next to the fence or wall).
• Eliminate unnecessary gates or doors in the fencing, or secure entry points tightly.
• Repair broken fences, walls, and other barriers immediately. Carriers should develop and implement a regular schedule of inspection and repair for this purpose.
• Seal other possible entrances that go under the perimeter and could allow an unauthorized person to enter, such as culverts that pass under the perimeter, utility tunnels, or manholes leading into the facility.
• Create a fencing/barrier layout that prevents more than one vehicle from entering or leaving at the same time. Also, the physical barriers (fences, concrete barriers, etc.) should be strong enough to help prevent vehicle theft.
• If possible, post a guard at the entry/exit points to screen all incoming and outgoing vehicles. This can be a significant deterrent and can successfully stop intruders. The guard must be a well-screened, trusted individual.
• Don’t store any ladders or long objects in plain view. These items could be used to scale a fence or enter a building.

Though it may only be a psychological deterrent, carriers should place enough No Trespassing signs around the perimeter of the facility so that one is visible from any approach to the facility.