ELD mandate highlights importance of efficient dock practices - 4 tips to save valuable dock time

With the ELD mandate deadline looming, managing more than just on duty drive time becomes vitally important to everyone in the transportation industry.

Here are some tips for shipping and dock staff to ensure that they aren’t holding up the valuable on duty ‘not driving’ time for drivers and their companies.

If you’re a driver, you know the routine. You have a scheduled dock appointment, you arrive on time only to find a line up at the dock and now your entire day, and trip are going to be off, delaying your entire route. This results in throwing off delivery times at the other end with no legal on duty time and possible layover instead of valuable home time.

This adds even more stress to an already very tight schedule.

If you’re in shipping and on the dock, you know S&%t happens.  Some drivers are late, some freight needs to be repacked or picked, forklifts break down, people call in sick, partial shipping lists. It happens but some of the delays are avoidable.

The following are a quick list of 4 simple things shipping staff can do to ensure their dock is a well oiled machine, meeting appointments and getting freight loaded safely and quickly with no drama.

1) Scheduling Shipping Appointments and Staff

An organized shipping manager reviews their schedule for the coming week and will be realistic about their dock time allotment based on the type and quantity of freight that needs to be loaded and then develop a schedule accordingly. Standard dock times don’t always cut it for awkward sized or heavy freight. Whatever the case, communication with dispatch and shipping staff is vital to ensure that you are able to fulfill the timing and stay on schedule avoiding dock delays and throwing off driver’s schedules.  Also don’t overlook staffing levels. Schedule the right amount of staff according to the work that day.  c3solutions has a cloud based solution that can assist with scheduling your dock processes. With a carrier portal, document support and reporting, it’s all in one tool to increase dock efficiency and minimize time at dock.

2) Warehouse or cross dock layout

We love to see warehouses that you could eat off of the floor but we know this isn’t always the case. Sure the larger ones are organized and run like a well-oiled machine but we’ve all seen the ones with freight all over the place, stuffed tighter than a thanksgiving turkey with no room to move. A recent warehouse report stated that over 75% of the warehouse staff’s time is spent moving freight back and forth.  This can be your number one expense, so you need to be efficient with their time. Spend time researching software programs that offer layouts or planograms for the most efficient freight storage templates based on fast or slow moving items in storage.  You may even want to hire a consultant that specializes in warehouse layout and efficiencies depending on the type of products you handle most often. (i.e high value, high turnover, perishables, refrigeration  ) All of these factors wil greatly impact your storage plans and layouts.

A basic rule of thumb is to keep all quick turn over freight near the dock doors and longer term storage items towards the back of the warehouse. Stay organized and prepare/pick all shipments to be loaded for that day near the dock and plan ahead.

3) Dock Usage

Ever think of dedicating certain docks to certain carriers? Probably the #1 frustration for drivers is waiting to be loaded or off loaded.  One solution some warehouses use is to dedicate a portion of their docks to LTL carriers for quick on/off loads versus those FTL shipments that can take up dock space for hours. Sometimes dock heights or ramps are needed for smaller trucks with different deck heights. Ensure your booking docks for the right type of carriers and details are communicated to dispatch if there are specific equipment requirements for delivery to increase your dock’s efficiency.

“Some of the most valuable square footage in the warehouse is dock Space” – WERC

The dock area, both inside and outside can be the first to get clogged up and choke all of your best-intentioned plans. Treat your dock space as the premium space that it is. Keep it clean and clear at all times.

4) Efficient Loading With The Right Equipment

#1 hassle for shippers is trying to load freight efficiently and safely.  Are all of your pump trucks working? How about your forklift? Is it charged? Is it in working order so you don’t experience any downtime? Seems like a simple thing but you need to have a process in place to remember to have the forklift charging before you leave for the night. Do you have enough load bars, shoring beams, ratchet straps or other load securement devices? For the cost of these items, it’s well worth it to ensure you have enough on hand to make shipper’s lives easier and increase dock efficiency.

Awkward sized freight or pallets can be hard to arrange and then secure properly. Take into account weight distribution, axle weights and decking freight. Shippers often find themselves in some head scratching predicaments. I call it “forklift tetris” - trying to arrange the pallets to maximize the space in a trailer and then secure it properly. LTL carriers encounter this almost every trip since they’re constantly shifting and rearranging the freight to re-secure everything after every drop off.

One tool we’ve discovered for load securement is Exact-A-Track logistic brackets. These neat brackets are like mobile E track that hook into logistics posts. Now trailers without E track can have it anywhere they want. 

It makes securing awkward freight easier and saves a lot of time. When freight doesn’t line up with logistic posts, the options are often limited or expensive with placing dunnage and pallets to secure freight.  This invention can shave lots of time off shipper’s tight schedule and more importantly ensures the best load securement as well as safety of drivers from load shifting.

While the impending ELD mandate implementation is creating many challenges for the trucking industry, don’t let your dock contribute to the issue.  Develop a plan to become more efficient, utilize new tools and train staff on procedures that contribute to efficiencies for drivers and your company.