Our “Driver Check-in” digitises yard management
It was one of our most important projects and by now we can say: all the agreements, the continuous improvements and the different test phases have paid off! At our locations in Gelsenkirchen and in Blatnice in the Czech Republic, the drivers check themselves in at a terminal upon arrival with our individually developed check-in system.
Normally, a driver is assigned directly to the gate where his truck will be unloaded. If he is too early, he may have to wait in another, specially designated parking space. Only in the case of delays is it necessary to register in the dispatching department. At the Blatnice site, the driver receives an automatic assignment in this case.
When a truck driver arrives at our Central European Warehouse (CEW) in Gelsenkirchen, everything is very straightforward: he simply drives to the short-term parking area and logs on to the terminal with his load number. There he receives a safety briefing and instructions on what to do afterwards.
Yard management largely made digital
“From the driver’s point of view, we don’t have the classic gatekeeper,” says Pascal Werrn, who manages the CEW. He says the processes in Gelsenkirchen and Blatnice are largely digitalised to simplify and speed up yard management.
The DCI, on the other hand, enables largely digitalised truck dispatching. The solution is part of the Load Planning Tool (LPT), which is used by the dispatching department to book time slots and plan the gates. Other forwarding companies that use the CEW are also connected here.
IT solution developed by WHEELS Logistics
In addition, the DCI can do more than “check in”: The entire coordination of the unloading and loading of the trucks runs via the tool. After the check-in has taken place, the trucks, the loads and the respective gates are listed on the tablet with the forklift drivers. The development of the DCI is not yet at an end, Pascal emphasises: “We want to invest further, the next thing is a truck guidance system.” In addition, there are already the next ideas on how the DCI could improve yard management.
