Automatic optimization techniques simultaneously reduce handling expenses and allow some trailers to bypass consolidation hubs entirely. When carriers augment a dock management system with yard management support, the two projects amplify each other's advantages. Yard management initiatives closely control the movement of trailers and drivers based on information provided by the dock management system. The dock management system, in turn, profits from data provided by pickup and delivery automation. When shipment information from city drivers immediately flows to the hubs, support systems and supervisors can anticipate requirements.
Incoming cargo stays in motion because dock managers already know what is on each inbound truck.
If pickup and delivery systems are not immediately automated, carriers can implement intermediate systems to efficiently feed information to hub management support projects. Dockside data collection allows operators to enter all data about an inbound truck's cargo at the dock even as operators strip the cargo for consolidation. Dockside data collection becomes more efficient when carriers encourage their shippers to produce scannable bills of lading. These documents can be produced on existing printers with specialized software. A two-dimensional bar code encodes all necessary shipment information.