To increase visibility and control in its warehouse yard, Pennsylvania-based Penske Logistics has become the first to implement Blue Yonder’s yard management system.

Penske works with shippers and carriers to optimise shipments, reduce kilometres, cut transportation costs, improve asset use and provide better service. The logistics service provider was looking for a way to track and monitor equipment such as trailers and containers in its yards.

Penske has implemented the yard management system at one warehouse site and is looking this year to expand into further locations.

With Blue Yonder, Penske has been able to use cameras and computer vision technology and machine learning (ML) tied into the yard management system to check-in and identify trailers automatically so it knows what shipments are in the yard and where the trailer or container is parked. Time-stamp details for when tractors and trailers exit the yard are provided, assisting with detention fee mitigation.

It connects directly into the Blue Yonder warehouse management system (WMS) so all shipments are automatically logged and tracked. This should improve throughput in the supply chain by increasing the speed of processing trucks in the yard, thereby lowering costs and improving service.

“Thanks to Blue Yonder’s computer vision-based yard management, we have gained greater visibility in our yard, allowing us to know trailer and container location details and status, which has resulted in improved efficiencies,” said Ramu Pannala, vice president at Penske Logistics. “Automating the gate-in, gate-out process has allowed us to make better business decisions that positively benefit our customers. We are looking forward to further implementing this in the coming year.”

The system enables automated gate management with reduced errors and offers trailer and container visibility by tracking details for inbound and outbound, drops, hooks, live loads, and status of assets in the yard. It also provides critical information including where to drop or hook trailers, assigned docks, equipment status, and load priority and location. In addition, proactive alerts allow staff to respond quickly to constraints or unexpected actions in real time, and track statuses while monitoring for delays in the yard to avoid detention fees and various expenses due to waiting or lost loads.

The technology for the yard management system (blueyonder.com/knowledge-center/collateral/gain-control-of-your-yard), including the camera and computer vision and ML, was developed with Panasonic Connect, Blue Yonder’s parent company.

“Penske Logistics has truly shown their innovation by being the first customer to fully implement our new yard management,” said Warren Rojas, corporate vice president at Blue Yonder. “As a result, they have seen tremendous benefits that have allowed them to centralise and automate key tasks, which greatly improved their yard and business operations and saved both time and costs. After a successful pilot and implementation at one yard, we are excited to be expanding into other yards this year.”

Penske Logistics (PenskeLogistics.com) is headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania. The company is a provider of supply chain and logistics innovations. Penske offers dedicated transportation, distribution centre management, lead logistics, freight management, transportation management, freight brokerage, and an array of technologies.

Founded in 1985, Blue Yonder (blueyonder.com) is based in Arizona and was acquired by Panasonic in 2021.