Dock Scheduling System

By Sid Green

Trac Ahead is Trac Ahead is a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution which allows carriers and vendors to request appointments using a web portal, helping businesses of all sizes to control the flow and achieve optimal planning of the arrival and departure of trailers to and from their site(s).

There are many moving parts to dock scheduling, and multiple considerations to be made. How many appointments can be handled each day? Do certain loads need to go to certain dock doors because of equipment or personnel needs? Or perhaps goods need to be loaded or unloaded closest to where they belong in the warehouse.

There are a multitude of possibilities to enhance dock scheduling operations, and dock operations in general, through our software solution. Inbound, outbound, cross dock, transload – each type of operation has different challenges and needs for optimization. Does the load need to be scheduled to the gate, then an available door selected upon arrival? Or does the load need to be scheduled into a particular dock from the very beginning? Will the freight be transloaded from trailer to trailer, trailer to floor, floor to trailer? Is the load floor loaded or on pallets – there may be a significant time difference between the two.

Before loading the trailer or container, many of our clients perform an inspection and will accept or reject the trailer depending on their needs. When dock scheduling is tied together with yard management and inspections at the dock with Android devices, this becomes quick and easy to perform. And later, if there is a chargeback or rejected load complaint, the records are easily searchable and the full inspection can be printed or sent to the necessary parties on demand.

Trac Ahead synchronizes yard and dock door operations to ensure dock door scheduling optimization corresponding to the unique needs of every business. Users can view available dock doors, dates and times and schedule an appointment with just a few clicks. And since our system is web based, this can be done from any internet enabled device

Utilizing tailored business rules and programming logic, this solution automates processes such as dock scheduling and trailer placement without requiring any manual human intervention. Users seeking to schedule an appointment are shown only the information relevant to them such as their own loads and corresponding available slots and times. Upon arrival, users at the client facility can see all the specifics about the load and appointment.

If dock door scheduling is too involved, our clients can choose to schedule appointments to the gate and select an available door upon arrival. If no dock doors are available at that time, take the number of the driver and simply message them through our application once a dock door becomes available. No more running out to the yard to look for drivers.

Multiple sites can be managed from one location with our user-friendly platform that simplifies and organizes efficient appointment management. In addition, Trac Ahead reduces load/unload wait time and delays as well as maintains efficient check in and check out through security gates.

Dashboard reporting highlights discrepancies between a trailer’s scheduled arrival time versus the actual arrival time, and allows for constant inventory visibility and performance management.

Dock door scheduling has never been easier!

Add pic of Sealed Air bar graph Report Card