What is Yard Management?
Yard Management is the safe, economical, and efficient movement of in- and out-bound truck and trailer traffic in the yard and dock areas of manufacturing, shipping, and warehousing facilities. Yard management may also include providing, inspecting, and maintaining equipment, yard checks, trailer clean-out, and recordkeeping.
Yard Manager vs Yard Jockey
The terms Yard Manager and Jockey are interchangeable and refer to CDL drivers who work exclusively at a customer’s site(s) performing yard management (and sometimes shuttle) tasks.
What does a Spotter do?
Spotters also work in the yard and help to on- and off-load freight, keep the yard clear of trailers, and maintain orderly traffic flow. .
Yard dog, Terminal tractor & Jockey truck
These are common names for trucks designed specifically to facilitate yard management. These trucks have a shorter wheelbase, visibility on all four sides, a rear door for easy access to the trailer, seating only for the driver, and hydraulic lifts. These features improve fuel efficiency, safety, provide greater maneuverability for backing into tight spaces, and eliminate the need for the Jockey to repeatedly climb into and out of the truck to crank the landing gear. At the busiest locations, Jockeys may move trailers 70+ times every day. Because of their special design, jockey trucks save wear and tear on the Yard Jockey’s knees, backs, and shoulders, and are more cost effective than full-size tractors.
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In-house vs. outsourced Yard Management
Until reaching a critical stage of growth, many businesses rely on in-house staff and internally maintained equipment to manage their yards. Warehouse workers phone or radio each other to coordinate arriving and departing loads, locate space for waiting loads, etc. The costs associated with manually tracking loads, hiring, training, and supervising yard management employees, and acquiring and maintaining jockey trucks can become prohibitive as companies grow. For those reasons, many businesses consider outsourcing these tasks. Outsourced yard management relieves the customer from the responsibility of overseeing jockey employees, maintaining jockey trucks, and more.
What is yard management software?
Yard management software can be customized for specific sites. Briefly, it eliminates reliance on paper logs, and reduces time lost to unanswered phone calls and misplaced trailers. Yard management software interfaces between the yard jockey’s, dispatcher’s, and customer’s tablets in real time and provides a schedule and history of moves. Computer-aided Drafting (CAD) provides an aerial site plan that highlights open docks, trailer locations, etc.
Yard Management Solutions in Central PA
Ask your prospective yard management provider if they offer the following:
- 24/7 coverage to fully accommodate your shift requirements,
- Software designed specifically for yard management and that offers full integration,
- An experienced, dedicated, Jockey Management team to oversee your scheduling and help you plan,
- Safe, professional, trained Jockeys
If you are looking for Yard Management in South Central PA, Northeastern PA, and the surrounding areas, we can answer Yes! to all these questions. Call Logan Reed at 717-858-5015×2102 today to discuss your needs.
