Managing truck movement inside an industrial campus is often more complex than it appears. From long queues at the gate to manual log entries and miscommunication between departments, even small inefficiencies become costly delays. As industries adopt Digital Transformation, Industry , and Industrial Automation Solutions, automated truck movement has become essential for operational efficiency.
This is where Truck-In Truck-Out Automation powered by RTLS is transforming how yards operate.
Vitracx, a leader providing RTLS, RFID, and IoT solutions for real-time tracking and industrial automation, empowers organizations with seamless, automated truck movement across factories, warehouses, and logistics hubs.
What Is Truck-In Truck-Out Automation?
Truck-In Truck-Out Automation digitizes and automates each stage of a truck’s journey inside a facility—from entry verification to movement tracking to exit. Instead of depending on handwritten logs, calls, or walkie-talkies, the entire process becomes:
- Fast
- Transparent
- Data-driven
- Highly reliable
This system provides real-time visibility, accurate traceability, and automated TAT (Turnaround Time) calculation, ensuring smooth operations across departments.
The Problem With Traditional Yard Operations
Many yards still function manually, leading to recurring issues that slow down productivity.
Common challenges include:
- Unclear truck locations at any given time
- Long queues due to manual security checks
- Idle docks because of communication delays
- No accurate way to measure truck turnaround time
- Increased detention and demurrage costs
- Manual errors in documentation and approvals
These inefficiencies disrupt production schedules and dispatch timelines and increase operational costs.
How RTLS Enables Real-Time Truck Tracking
A Real-Time Locating System (RTLS) uses a combination of technologies to track trucks accurately:
| Technology | Function |
| LoRaWAN | Long-range outdoor truck tracking across large campuses |
| RFID | Automated gate-in / gate-out identification |
| BLE / UWB | Accurate zone-level tracking near docks and loading bays |
| IoT Sensors | Detect dock occupancy, door status, loading events |
All tracking events automatically flow into a dashboard that shows live truck locations, movement history, and alerts.
What Makes Up an RTLS-Powered Truck Automation System?
Outdoor Movement Tracking: Trucks equipped with RTLS tags are continuously monitored across the entire yard, enabling supervisors to view real-time status.
Automated Gate Access: RFID gate readers recognize each truck instantly, removing the need for manual verification.
Precise Dock Monitoring: BLE/UWB devices ensure trucks are guided accurately to the correct dock and confirm arrival.
IoT-Enabled Loading Bays: Sensors detect occupancy, door activity, and workflow progression, allowing automated updates without human intervention.
Together, these components create a unified visibility layer that keeps all teams aligned.
Benefits of Using RTLS for Truck Movement Automation
Several operational gains emerge once RTLS and automation replace manual processes.
Real-Time Visibility
Operations teams know exactly where every truck is at any moment, reducing uncertainty and communication delays.
Optimized Turnaround Time
Automation eliminates unnecessary waiting, improves dock allocation, and speeds up loading, resulting in shorter TAT.
