Yard management, i.e., coordinating assets like trucks and trailers at a warehouse or manufacturing facility, is responsible for a variety of logistics functions. These include allocating trailer space, handling gate security, and scheduling loading and unloading, including bay assignments.
It plays a key role in driving overall efficiency in warehouse operations. Imagine if an inbound driver with a time-critical load didn’t know which bay to pull into. Or if a container needed ASAP for an outbound shipment wasn’t where it was supposed to be.
In yard management, technology adoption has lagged that of adjacent functions (warehouse management, transportation management, etc.). This has been changing with the growing use of Yard Management Systems (YMS), first developed in the 1990s and refined since. A YMS brings a measure of efficiency to the complex logistics of yard asset management, gate operations, and dock scheduling. It’s been relied upon to reduce costs and enhance yard operations.
Even with advances in YMS technology, such as gate automation and cloud architecture, the failure point still comes through a lack of real-time integration with supply chain systems reliant on the data and intelligence it provides. These include Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Transportation Management Systems (TMS), and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).
However, the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, coupled with dynamic data capture, have enabled the creation of powerful integrated YMS (IYMS) systems. This is possible by augmenting a traditional YMS with AI-driven yard vision technology that pulls in and analyzes real-time data from existing cameras. Now, managers can sync data, tasks, and scheduling between yard operations, transportation management, and warehouse management, taking intralogistics capabilities to a new level.
This type of next-level integration that an IYMS provides is crucial for streamlining supply chain operations. It enables a seamless data flow across functions, optimizing task coordination, scheduling, and asset allocation. Synchronizing real-time information reduces manual errors, improves visibility, and makes for faster, smarter decision-making. The result is greater efficiency, lower operating costs, and greater agility and responsiveness in the face of inevitable disruptions. An IYMS also improves forecast accuracy, making for happier customers through greater reliability and on-time performance.
The Need for an Integrated YMS
Many facilities face common challenges in managing yard operations. These include bottlenecks caused by poor coordination, a lack of real-time visibility into asset locations, and reliance on inefficient, error-prone manual processes. This can result in delayed shipments, underutilized assets, and increased costs, all negatively impacting overall supply chain performance.
An IYMS addresses these challenges through end-to-end visibility across the supply chain. This integration enables real-time updates on asset movements, schedules, and inventory status, allowing teams to make more informed, timely decisions. For example, real-time synchronization of yard and warehouse data ensures that trailers and containers are in the right place at the right time, minimizing waits and improving asset utilization.
Furthermore, integration enhances key yard functions such as dock scheduling, gate management, and carrier coordination. By aligning yard schedules with WMS and TMS, dock assignments are optimized, helping prevent congestion and backups. Automated gate systems improve security and streamline truck entry/exit, while synchronized carrier data ensures better coordination and on-time deliveries. This integrated approach reduces delays, increases throughput, and enhances overall supply chain efficiency.
Key Features of an IYMS
An IYMS provides dynamic tracking and monitoring of yard activities that help prevent bottlenecks at the gate and docks while optimizing resource utilization. With accurate information on truck, trailer, and container movements as they happen, yard managers can anticipate and resolve issues before they escalate.
Automation
Automation is critical in IYMS because it reduces manual interventions and streamlines processes. Automated gate systems, for example, can control access and manage vehicle flow efficiently, while advanced scheduling algorithms optimize dock scheduling. This technology boosts efficiency and enhances safety by minimizing human error and reducing the risk of accidents. An IYMS, by leveraging the power of AI-driven vision technology, can automate labor-intensive yard audits and make yard mapping and updates fast and efficient.
Data Integration and Analytics
An IYMS integrated with WMS and TMS provides a unified view of related activities: inbound and outbound deliveries, yard drops, traffic flow, production and transportation schedules, and gate access. This integration enables a seamless data flow across systems, enhancing logistics efficiency.
Data shared can include appointment scheduling, bill of lading numbers, expected arrival times, and designated parking spots for different types of goods (dry bulk vs. refrigerated, etc.). The data flow depends on who carries the information and what is needed at the time.
Analytics and reporting tools embedded in an AI-powered IYMS help identify trends and predict potential bottlenecks. By analyzing historical and dynamic data, companies can continuously improve yard operations and adapt to changing conditions.
Best Practices for Implementation
When implementing an IYMS, start by defining clear objectives that align the system with business goals and operational pain points. Whether it’s reducing congestion, improving asset utilization, better throughput or greater overall efficiency, clear objectives ensure the system will meet your needs. Scalability is also key. The system should be able to grow with your operations, adapting to changing business demands and complexity over time.
Stakeholder collaboration is essential for a successful implementation. Engaging with warehouse staff, fleet managers, or third–party carriers early on helps ensure the system meets the needs of all parties. Their input is invaluable in shaping system functionality and improving workflows.
Seamless integration with existing systems (WMS, TMS, OMS, ERP) can be achieved using APIs or middleware. This ensures a smooth data flow between systems, enabling real-time visibility and improved decision-making. Pilot programs before a full rollout are a smart approach, so you can test the system on a smaller scale and make adjustments as needed.
The system must also be user-friendly to ensure wide adoption. Staff training and an intuitive UI help for a smooth transition. Continuous monitoring, analytics, and reporting allow you to identify inefficiencies and refine processes.
Overcoming Common Challenges
Adopting an IYMS can be challenging due to the initial costs and complexity. Companies need to invest in infrastructure, training, and change management to ensure a smooth transition.
These challenges can be overcome by developing a clear implementation strategy that involves key stakeholders and coordinating closely with vendor support. In a 2023 LinkedIn post, Brad Forester of JBF Consulting provides an excellent overview of how to formulate an integration strategy across the trifecta of YMS, TMS, and WMS. This includes considerations such as balancing live and trailer drop appointments, and when to use a TMS vs. a WMS for appointment scheduling.
Choosing a scalable, customizable IYMS is crucial for long-term success. The system should grow with the business and adapt to changing operational needs.
Tailoring it to fit your unique business requirements ensures maximum efficiency and ROI.
Measuring Success
Set up and track KPIs that directly reflect your yard’s operational efficiency. This includes dwell time, which measures the time a trailer spends in the yard, and gate turnaround, indicating how quickly trucks enter and exit the facility. Lowering dwell time increases efficiency benefits and helps address sustainability compliance by reducing emissions. Here are some other primary metrics:
- Asset Turnover Rate: Measures how often trailers and containers are utilized. A high turnover rate indicates efficient use of yard resources.
- Dock Utilization: Tracks the efficiency of dock space usage. It helps identify underutilized or overbooked docks, ensuring proper scheduling and minimizing delays.
- Trailer Availability: Measures the percentage of time trailers are available for use. Higher availability indicates effective asset management.
- Cycle Time: The total time to move a trailer or container from the gate to its final destination.
- Throughput: Tracks the number of trucks or trailers processed within a timeframe. This helps assess overall yard efficiency and throughput capacity.
- Carrier On-Time Performance: Measures the percentage of carriers arriving on schedule. Improved coordination with carriers leads to a more efficient yard and fewer delays.
Continuous improvement is essential, relying on analytics and stakeholder feedback to identify inefficiencies and optimize processes. This allows you to refine scheduling, reduce delays, and improve asset management.
ROI metrics are also critical. It can be measured through reduced operating expenses, improved throughput, faster turn times, and lower labor costs. Regularly reviewing these metrics ensures that the system continues to provide value and drive performance excellence.
Advancing the State of the Art With IYMS
Given the increasing complexity of global supply chains and the potential for disruptive events, an integrated approach to logistics management is now a must-have capability. In yard management, innovation is enabling a truly synchronized tech stack approach that combines shared real-time data and analytical insights to unlock the true potential of collaborative intralogistics.
EAIGLE is pioneering the application of AI and machine learning to logistics operations, opening the door to a continual improvement process with automation and intelligent problem-solving built into its DNA. Its solutions for gate management (AVAC™) and yard operations (YardSight™) are designed to improve operations through faster, more accurate asset management, fast, secure gate access, and greater dock scheduling efficiency.
Through API integrations with YMS, WMS, TMS, and ERP, EAIGLE enables seamless data exchange across the supply chain, providing real-time visibility and optimizing resource allocation. Our integrated approach ensures smoother workflows, fewer delays, and greater efficiency, lowering costs and enhancing service delivery. To learn more, request a demo today.