DOCK AND YARD MANAGEMENT
Technology
MOVING GOODS BETWEEN DCs, STORES, AND
suppliers is an expensive operation, and turbulent market
conditions of recent years have pushed the price tag even
higher, putting renewed importance on running an efficient freight yard.
Many shippers have spent the past year wooing fleets
and independent truckers in a historically tight market,
trying to secure the trailer space to ensure their freight
is moved on time. Studies show the capacity crunch has
eased in recent months, but trucks are still a hot commodity, thanks to an expanding economy, a shortage
of drivers, and stricter enforcement of hours-of-service
(HOS) limits through electronic logging devices (ELDs).
Those factors have focused a spotlight on dock and yard
management, as warehouses strive to reduce their truck
waiting and turnaround times and become a “shipper of
choice.”
But is improving dock and yard management more of
an art or a science? Industry leaders say it’s a little of each
and prescribe a combination of technology and good
old-fashioned hospitality.
“We want carriers to have a smooth, seamless flow
into and out of facilities, but for years, the facilities
have underestimated the challenge,” says Rick Blasgen,
president and CEO of the Council of Supply Chain
Management Professionals (CSCMP). “Industry needs
to do a better job of keeping goods flowing and keeping
trucks moving.”
The modern supply chain has access to technolo-
gies like global positioning system (GPS) tracking and
radio-frequency identification (RFID) that allow busi-
nesses to know exactly “where their stuff is.” But while
that is a definite improvement over the mere estimates of
previous decades, technology can’t solve everything. “You
also have to treat drivers well. Give them a bathroom or a
break room, so they can rest a bit,” Blasgen says.
Cleaning up the yard
In the effort to become a “shipper of choice,” warehouses are
turning a new eye on their yard management practices.
If you want to secure scarce trucking capacity, here’s what works.
