A yard jockey driver, a paper list and a walkie talkie. That’s the antiquated way most LTL carriers handle yard management, even as trucks inch closer to autonomy.
Full autonomy in the yard is a long way off, said John Cesario, vice president of operations at Carrier Logistics Inc. (CLI), but in the meantime, more carriers are transitioning to outdoor wireless systems to increase uptime, provide more transparency around shipments and reduce errors that could further slow the supply chain, among other things.
Roadrunner (CCJ Top 250, No. 99) is one of those carriers.
The company recently transitioned to a wireless yard at its service centers with tablets in its yard jockeys, as well as on its forklifts inside, for real-time updates.
It was one of the changes the company made in its efforts to reduce transit times to increase capacity, and Roadrunner President Frank Hurst said the shift has definitely improved efficiency.
Wireless outdoor systems are becoming more prevalent day by day, paving the way for a day when humans no longer operate this kind of equipment, and it’s the answer to a lot of problems the industry is facing.
