Yard Management KPIs: Dwell Time, Turn Time and Dock Use
You cannot improve a yard you do not measure. These yard management KPIs show how long trucks and trailers spend on site, how well docks are used and where delays happen. This guide explains the main measures and how to start tracking them.
Key takeaways
- Yard management KPIs turn gate and dock times into numbers you can act on.
- Dwell time and truck turn time are the starting points.
- Dock utilisation and waiting time show whether the dock or the yard is the bottleneck.
- Start with a few measures and review them weekly.
The main yard management KPIs
Start with these measures. Each one comes from timestamps that a gate and yard system already collects.
| KPI | What it measures | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Truck turn time | Gate-in to gate-out | Overall speed of the visit |
| Yard dwell time | Time a trailer sits in the yard | Whether trailers wait too long |
| Dock utilisation | Share of time docks are in use | If docks are idle or overloaded |
| Dock wait time | Arrival to dock-in | Where queues form |
| Check-in time | Time at the gate | Gate efficiency |
| Detention exposure | Trailers over free time | Cost risk |
Where the data comes from
Time stamps at the gate, the weighbridge, the yard move and the dock give most of the data. If these are recorded by hand, errors creep in, so automatic capture with OCR, RFID or a yard system gives better numbers. See what role a yard management system plays in business for how the records are linked.
Using KPIs to improve the yard
Look for patterns. If dock wait time is long but docks are idle, the problem is in the yard or at check-in. If dock use is high and waits are long, the dock needs more capacity or better scheduling. Set targets, review them each week and share them with carriers.
Common mistakes with KPIs
Do not track too many measures at once. Do not mix times from different systems without agreeing the definition. And do not ignore the reasons behind a number, such as a late carrier. Also read yard management system features for the tools that capture the data.
Yard KPIs with Suraj Informatics
Suraj Informatics’ yard management system and GATIVRA platform capture gate, weighbridge, yard and dock times automatically, so the KPIs are ready without manual entry.
Yard management KPIs: common questions
What is truck turn time?
The time from a truck entering the gate to leaving it.
What is yard dwell time?
How long a trailer or container stays in the yard between arrival and departure.
How often should KPIs be reviewed?
Weekly for operations, and monthly for trends and targets.
Can I measure KPIs without software?
In a small yard, yes, using manual time stamps, but it takes effort and is less reliable.
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