Cold Storage Logistics – Automating Truck Flow and Dock Assignments

*This content is sponsored by Loading Dock Systems*

Food logistics can have a lot of complexities for cold storage distribution centers. The enhancements in technology help organize operations throughout the facility by managing schedules, inventory, labor, energy consumption, and more.

Oftentimes however, the flow of inbound/outbound logistics is still left with manual processes that can negatively impact the rest of the operation. Checking in drivers as they arrive leads to a lot of back-and-forth communication between the guard shack and personnel inside, causing trailers to get arbitrarily placed in any open dock position.

With drivers backed up at the gate trying to check-in, and loading activity taking longer than it should, many cold storage warehouses are implementing new solutions to optimize and even automate key areas of their facility logistics.

Optimized Scheduling

When trailers aren’t scheduled for the optimal time, or drivers arrive early/late, manual processes can create a lot of headaches. Guards at the gate entrance may be overloaded with backed up drivers waiting to check-in, while trying to determine how to manually confirm appointments and where to send the drivers.

Oftentimes no optimization is considered with regards to the produce on inbound trailers and what cooler or freezer room throughout the facility it needs to be stored in. This can create unnecessary forklift cross-traffic within the facility, and longer turn times for trailers sitting at the loading dock.

Instead, a distribution center can implement a solution that better organizes the inbound/outbound schedule and helps streamline the process upon arrival. Areas to consider are:

• Choose a solution that ties your schedule into the onsite check-in process.
• Tag appointments on the schedule with the type of produce being carried, so the system knows what dock the trailer should be sent to.
• Configure how early or late arrivals should be automatically handled.
• Set rules in the schedule for how many appointments your operation can handle.
• Use AI and analytics to learn from past schedules to help improve the timing of new appointments.

Implementing a solution with these capabilities is the first step in streamlining your facility logistics. The next is to digitize and automate the check-in/out process.

Digital Check-In/Out

A common pain point with logistics is the manual check-in process at the gate of a distribution center. Typically, guards are left trying to coordinate with the warehouse operator to identify a driver’s appointment and where to send them. Meanwhile trucks are getting backed up at the gate, adding to the overall turn time of each trailer.

If an appointment is tagged with carrying a certain type of produce, does the guard know where to send that trailer to? What if that yard or dock position is already full? There are many circumstances that a proper gate solution can help improve.

First, give the drivers options to check-in on their own. This can be done from a mobile device or at a smart video intercom at the gate. The drivers can identify themselves and confirm their appointments. This alone eliminates the need to interact with a guard, while still maintaining the security of the gate access.

Once the check-in process is digitized, then you can automate it. Implement a solution that allows you to set rules for where trailers should automatically get assigned to, or even a solution that uses AI to learn from past appointments and automatically adjusts the rules to optimize placement of the trailers in your yard or at your loading docks.

Benefits of a hardware and software solution include:

• Reduce labor costs by eliminating the need for human intervention during the check-in process.
• Avoid trucks back up at the gate.
• Streamline yard or dock assignments with an automated rules engine.
• Turn trailers faster when they’re placed in optimized locations for loading/unloading.
• Maintain security access control.

Mobile Driver Communication

Become the shipper of choice and give more visibility to the drivers coming and going, as well as to your dock personnel. Use a solution that allows drivers to check-in from their phone when arriving, and gives them clear indications of where to go once they’re checked in.

If drivers are waiting in the yard for certain docks to become available, don’t require them to come into the office or have someone run out by them. Instead, use a solution that will not only automatically detect when the appropriate dock is available, but will also send a message to the drivers letting them know to proceed to the dock.

Once a driver is backed into the dock, use a solution that provides updates on the status of loading or unloading. If the driver has questions, allow them to respond through text messaging created during check-in and someone from the shipping and receiving office can reply.

Solution

All these enhancements for distribution centers can be achieved with myQ Enterprise. Connect your docks and gate to a single solution and give everyone real-time visibility to your schedule and trailer activity. Digitizing your logistic operations with myQ Enterprise will reduce labor expenses, automate the flow of traffic, optimize loading/unloading, and help you service more trailers every day.

Visit Enterprise.myQ.com for more information or email [email protected] to learn more how you can benefit from an intelligent gate and dock management solution.