Enhancing Yard Safety with Seamless, Contactless Solutions

Reports from a number of sources indicate that the risk of injury from activities in facility yards, and actual incidents themselves, are on the rise. Yard congestion, limited visibility, and manual processes are all cited as major contributors to safety concerns.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 1,032 fatal injuries among operators of heavy trucks and tractor-trailers in 2022, and “many occurred outside the vehicle during loading/unloading or yard movement.”

The fact that many warehouse and manufacturing facilities still employ manual processes for driver check-in is certainly a contributing risk factor in busy yards. Because of this, drivers are often required to exit their vehicles to provide paperwork to security staff in high-traffic areas.

This means an increased safety risk as well as greater liability for facility operators. Insurers and risk management firms consistently identify yard zones as top risk areas, citing rising claims involving pedestrian-driver collisions, backing accidents, unauthorized movements, and equipment-related injuries.

The way to avoid all this is through automation, creating contactless digital workflows that keep drivers securely in their trucks, dramatically reducing the risk of injury in yard operations.

The Problem: Unsafe, Inefficient Manual Gate Check-In

In operations that still utilize manual check-in procedures, drivers are forced to get out of their cabs to hand over paperwork or show credentials. They sometimes have to traverse the yard itself to reach a guard shack, shipping office, or receiving dock. This exposes them to the hazard of rapidly moving forklifts and yard trucks as well as other delivery vehicles navigating the premises.

A manual check-in scenario can also quickly create a traffic chokepoint, as the slow process of validation leads to a queue of idling trucks. This increases the risk of collisions while also negatively impacting throughput and productivity. At facilities where concerns about health issues are paramount, increased contact between drivers and yard staff means greater risk of transmission.

Variations in guards’ workflows and missing documentation can lead to random stop patterns, unexpected foot traffic, and miscommunication between parties.

And without real-time status updates, yard teams can’t proactively manage flow, reducing visibility and resulting in last-minute rushes and unsafe shortcuts.

The Solution: FreightRoll’s Contactless Technology

FreightRoll, creator of innovative yard automation technology, has come up with a driver self-service check-in/out solution called digitalGUARD. It enables facilities managers to automate and standardize gate interactions, ensuring faster and safer processes.

Drivers scan a yard-specific QR code from their smartphones, with no app download required. Pre-automated checks against TMS and YMS data automate driver credentials and load verification, eliminating manual inspections at the gate.

Once authenticated, drivers instantly receive drop zone or dock instructions on their devices, keeping them in their trucks. 

The Benefits of digitalGUARD 

With digitalGUARD, pedestrian traffic is greatly reduced, along with its inherent safety risks. As drivers don’t have to get out of their vehicles to interact with yard staff, the risk of pedestrian accidents is greatly reduced. For those with concerns about the potential for transmissible disease or virus from human contact, especially in a post-COVID age, this risk is removed as well. 

Getting rid of manual processes and their attendant gate queues slashes idle time, reducing congestion at yard entrances. A standardized workflow with one-click check-in ensures every driver follows the same efficient process.

Live dashboards alert managers to the presence of incoming trucks as well as dock availability, preventing last-minute scrambling that can often occur, especially during peak periods.

The Business Impact of Contactless Check-In

By automating gate check-in and checkout with FreightRoll and digitalGUARD, facilities experience fewer driver-staff interactions, removing the risk of injuries and promoting a safer environment. 

In addition, gate throughput is measurably increased through automation, with up to two to three times as many trucks processed per hour.

A frictionless check-in experience also earns operators a “shipper of choice” status among carriers and their drivers. This not only promotes loyalty and ensures adequate capacity but can also result in cost savings, as shippers that get drivers in and out faster often benefit from lower quotes.

Faster throughput also reduces driver detention fees and insurance claims. Labor is optimized through a reduction in required gate staffing and redeployment.

Check-In Automation Equals Greater Safety — and Much More

Overall, contactless workflows create a safer, more productive yard environment. Drivers stay in their trucks, verification happens quickly, and they are instantly routed to their dock or drop zone destination.

FreightRoll is helping drive the yard automation revolution through faster processing, optimized workflows, and a superior driver experience. The result is measurable cost savings, greater efficiency, and enhanced safety, as well as stronger carrier/driver relationships. To learn more about how our end-to-end platform can transform your gate and dock operations, contact FreightRoll today.