Having a yard management system is increasingly important. For years, yard management software has been talked about as a crucial product for maximizing the efficiency of the logistics department; however, with 2020, vehicle yard software has become something more, as it is now widely recognized as a tool that can also increase the level of safety within the company. In recent months, in fact, very often logistics and transport jobs have been pointed out as being very risky as concerns infection from COVID-19, with the outbreaks gradually spreading right from the flow of vehicles, goods and people. To ensure the health of their employees and customers, as well as to avoid penalties and undesired downtime, companies have been working to find solutions to make warehouses and workers safe. Among these solutions it is certainly possible to identify yard management systems, i.e. software that, far from being a mere cost for the company, can increase not only safety but also productivity: let’s see how and why.
What yard management means
What is yard management in practice? It is a process through which a company – of any size – plans, manages and organizes the flow of vehicles, people and goods in and out of the company. As mentioned above, until a few months ago, yard management software was recognized exclusively as a supply chain planning & control solution, whereas today it can certainly be seen as an excellent safety management system.
The benefits of yard management software
Logistics and transport functions are present in all realities, ranging from retail to manufacturing companies, and it follows that there are countless companies that can take advantage of a yard management system to reduce costs, increase productivity and make their business safe.
But how can yard management software work to also become a safety management tool? What makes the difference is the integration with video surveillance systems, so you can count on a solution that can scan the license plates of incoming vehicles and, for example, automatically manage the lifting of barriers. It should also be noted that, if properly integrated, this system can become a valuable tool for Integrated Business Planning for all players in the supply chain.
To understand the benefits of such a solution, you can think of a loading/unloading operation managed with the support of a yard management system. Being able to count on booking the unloading time and on remote communication of the necessary documentation, a driver can arrive at the company and, without doing anything more, be welcomed by the company with the automatic opening of the barriers, thanks to integration with the surveillance system. Once the necessary instructions are received, he can go directly to the automatic weighing machine and, without getting off the truck, print the result from the totem conveniently positioned at window height. At this point, by following the instructions received, he will be able to move to the assigned lay-by, and then, at the appropriate time, signaled through a text message, he can position himself at the specific bay for loading the vehicle. All these automatisms are repeated also on the warehouse front, so as to reduce any waste of time and eliminate any unnecessary contact between operators, with extremely positive results in terms of productivity as well as safety.
