Elmsford, New York/Rock Island, Illinois – November 16, 2021 – Carrier Logistics Inc. (CLI), veteran providers of freight management software for Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) fleets, and LTL carrier Dohrn Transfer Company, a unit of Pitt Ohio Transportation Group, today announced a program for implementing CLI’s Dock Management System and Dock Management Board.

“In our industry, days and even hours added to transit will greatly impact our customers, so our technology initiatives are centered around improving efficiency.” said Heather Dohrn, vice president, sales and marketing at Dohrn Transfer. “The dock management solutions from CLI provide the visibility we need to be proactive and more productive, which is very important considering the labor issues the industry is currently facing. It pushes information and reports to our customers without them needing to ask so they can make decisions in real time. CLI’s dock management solutions benefit our customers and are a competitive advantage for us.”

Automated dock management technology from CLI gives Dohrn Transfer immediate visibility into detailed load and shipment information and potential operational issues. The Dock Management Board provides real time visibility and control over each trailer and dock door, while the mobile component guides the dockworkers as they load, unload, and inspect freight. 

The CLI solutions also give managers full visibility into each dockworker’s activities, and any exceptions are brought to their attention for immediate resolution. The application prevents misdirected freight and allows for rapid adjustments to load plans.  Because each dock activity is recorded in real time, management has a full view of each dockworker’s productivity and accuracy. A photo capture feature in the mobile application records freight and trailer appearance to protect against cargo claims.

In October, Dohrn Transfer began using the CLI Dock Management System and Dock Management Board with scanners at its two Chicago area terminals with high volumes of cross-dock freight. The carrier’s expectation is to implement the solutions at its remaining 19 terminals.

“We had a chance to try CLI’s dock management products,” said Robert Howard, chief operating officer at Dohrn Transfer. “The solutions were fast and very user friendly so we’re sure this will be a big improvement for our dock operations. We are looking forward to getting it deployed across our operation.”

Dohrn Transfer has been using FACTS transportation and freight management software from CLI for 20 years. Today, the software is used to manage all aspects of the LTL operations, including route optimization, local and linehaul dispatching, and all back office activities.

“We chose CLI to provide a completely integrated solution and we’ve added a number of modules and integrations from the company over the years,” said Alex Gustafson, director of information systems at Dohrn Transfer. “As we’ve grown, CLI has been able to grow with us by offering new functionality and flexibility. The ability to automate manual processes with their dock management systems will improve efficiency in our operations and be a real win for us and our customers.”

Expected labor savings of over 16% are anticipated at Dohrn Transfer when full use of CLI’s Dock Management Board and handheld scanners is in place. Additional time savings are anticipated as manifests are generated in real time, eliminating clerical updates to the system.    Last minute customer requests for their freight to be redirected can be accommodated because the system operates 100% in real time

Dohrn Transfer Company offers complete-state LTL coverage in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin, partial-state coverage in Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota and South Dakota, and enhanced services between the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions from 21 terminals.

 “We continue to develop and enhance dock management technology because it is demonstrating to measurably improve productivity and efficiency, reduce misdirects and increase accountability.  It is the ultimate plan execution solution for LTL trucking,” said Ben Wiesen, president of CLI. “We are very pleased that Dohrn Transfer continues to adopt our freight and transportation management technology to improve the bottom line while fulfilling their core commitment to premium customer service.”

 Carrier Logistics FACTS™ is the premier solution for meeting the unique transportation and freight management needs of asset-based LTL carriers and the last mile industry. FACTS includes online customer shipping tools, dispatch and driver management, a superior rate engine, cross-dock management, and a full back office suite that give transportation professionals the tools they need to operate cost-effectively while providing improved freight visibility to their customers.