What Is A Yard Management System & Why Do You Need One?

Nov 9

A Yard Management System (YMS) is a software system that tracks trailer movement in a facility's yard, distribution center, or warehouse. Yard management software can provide tremendous potential for agility and efficiency as the link between transportation and warehousing.

Many businesses are considering ways to improve their yard operations as a result of recent supply chain turmoil. A yard management solution, which might be a warehouse management system add-on, a standalone solution, a homemade system, or anything else, is a significant instrument in yard optimization. Understanding your alternatives is crucial to deciding on the right solution for your company.

Yard Management Issues In Today's World

While yard management offers distinct obstacles for each firm – based on the size of the company and the yard, the items on the yard, and many other reasons — these are the primary concerns we've uncovered from our interactions with yard operations employees around the world.

Invisibility of the trailer

Yard teams lack visibility into available trailer assets (and perhaps inventory), resulting in inefficient trailer movement, higher costs, and worse jockey efficiency.

Inability to see shipments

Yard crews lack advanced knowledge of when trucks will arrive to load or unload, leading in wasteful utilization of the yard and its resources. Congestion at the gates and demurrage/detention fees have also increased dramatically.

Misaligned processes

Transportation, warehouse, and yard procedures are all controlled through multiple systems that are either not constantly updated or are not digitally maintained at all, resulting in reactive operations. As a result, stakeholders don't have real-time visibility into what's going on, resulting in wasteful utilization of warehouse dock doors, manpower, and equipment, as well as higher prices. In addition, inefficient transportation resource use results in longer wait times, greater prices, and delays, all of which can harm customer relationships.

Ineptness of yard jockeys

Ineffective use of yard jockeys and failure to oversee activities for safety and compliance stem from a lack of understanding of yard operations. Increased infractions and charges, as well as wasted jockey work and bad planning, result as a result of this.

Visibility

Effective performance assessment and inventory management requires visibility into yard activities and assets. Save time by not having to scour the yard for "missing" trailers. Organizations get better insight into performance and assets when yard management software interfaces with other systems (TMS, WMS, in-transit visibility platform, etc.).

Enhancement of the process

Gate-in, gate-out, and appointment scheduling are all typically manual procedures in the yard that modern yard management systems help to automate. As a result, inputs and outputs are more accurate, making benchmarking easier. Shippers and 3PLs may define and measure KPIs with the help of a contemporary YMS, which delivers reporting and analytics. Managers can rapidly identify which supply chain functions need assistance when performance objectives aren't fulfilled. Organizations can expect improved material flow through a facility as a result of better process management, allowing them to make the most of their yard and warehouse workforce.

Savings

The lowering of expenses throughout a company's yard operations is one of the most essential functions of a yard management solution. By automating and digitizing procedures and controlling appointments to maintain seamless carrier operations, a successful YMS will result in a reduction in demurrage and detention costs. Yard employees will spend less time making calls, searching for goods, executing physical jobs, and waiting idle, which will result in lower labor expenses for businesses.

Investigation of the carrier

Visibility into the performance of all aspects of the supply chain is crucial for continuous improvement. It's simpler to make critical decisions regarding carrier selection and how best to utilize dock workers for quick loading and unloading by tracking carrier commitments, on-time performance, wait time, and unload time.

Velocity

A YMS gives you real-time access to asset locations and operating status, including dwell periods in various states. It becomes feasible to simplify operations by monitoring any delays throughout the visit lifetime, such as quickly recognizing available empty trailers for outgoing cargoes.

Conformity with the process

A good YMS can verify that every trailer, tractor, and driver who enters the facility is checked in and exits in the same way every time. Seals are examined, damage is documented, and shipping information is linked to the trailer number.

Process optimization is ongoing

Shippers and 3PLs may define and measure KPIs with the help of a contemporary YMS, which delivers reporting and analytics. Managers can rapidly identify which supply chain functions need assistance when performance objectives aren't fulfilled.

Efficiency of the scout/yard jockey

A YMS cuts spotter move times in half and allows shuttle drivers to receive, accept, and confirm move orders electronically, removing the need for radio transmission.

Collaboration of carriers

With their carriers, top shippers and 3PLs collaborate. Carriers will have access to the YMS as part of this agreement, allowing for real-time shipping alerts.

Safety/security

By removing the need for employees to wander about the yard doing manual checks, a YMS can increase safety. Yard truck drivers' speed, safe procedures, and hours of duty are all monitored using instrumentation installed on the vehicles. By recording all movements from check-in through check-out, the YMS also aids with the security of the yard.

Yardage

Without a YMS, companies with many yards are unable to examine all of their facilities in a single perspective. Organizations may pool assets, such as empty trailers and yard vehicles, and assess operational efficacy across all sites with the network view.

Efficiency in cross-dock

The use of a YMS in conjunction with dock-door scheduling, WMS, and labor management may greatly improve the capacity to cross-dock large volumes of products and resources effectively via facilities.

Transit data that is more accurate

Visibility solutions may get better and more consistent data about transportation, resulting in more accurate cargo scheduling and on-time delivery.

Dynamic scheduling of appointments

The necessity for yard management software to promote accuracy and carrier empowerment through dynamic appointment scheduling has been emphasized as a result of disruptions in the supply chain. This allows carriers to adjust appointment windows and notifies them when another stakeholder's calendar changes.

Gate procedures automation

Yard management systems have included gate process automation for the safety of carriers and front-line supply chain personnel. It enhances accuracy and speed by removing the risk of human mistake at the gate, in addition to boosting safety.