Mastering Yard & Terminal Logistics with Zebra

In transportation and logistics, your yard is the heartbeat of your operation and yet for many businesses, it remains one of the most under-optimized areas. With dozens of trailers, constant in-and-out traffic, and pressure to reduce dwell times, yard and terminal teams need real-time visibility and rugged, reliable tools to stay ahead.

That’s where Strategic Systems and Zebra Technologies come in.

Why Yard & Terminal Operations Matter

A disorganized or outdated yard operation leads to:

• Lost visibility of assets and shipments
• Costly trailer dwell times
• Driver bottlenecks and congestion
• Manual check-in/check-out errors
• Safety risks in high-traffic zones
  
  

Whether you're managing inbound goods at a retail DC or coordinating outbound freight at a port, having the right mobile infrastructure makes all the difference.

Strategic Systems + Zebra: Built for the Yard

Strategic Systems specializes in modernizing high-throughput yard and terminal environments. By pairing Zebra’s industrial-grade devices with custom deployment, integration, and lifecycle support, we help T&L customers operate more efficiently.

Key Solutions for Yard & Terminal Efficiency

Zebra MC9400 Series Rugged Mobile Computers

Built for tough outdoor use, the MC9400/MC9450 series offers:

• Long-range scanning for trailer ID verification
• Fast 5G/Private LTE connectivity
• Touchscreen + keypad interface for intuitive workflows
• Hot-swappable batteries for 24/7 use
• Enhanced location tracking with RFID/GPS
  
  

Use Case: Gate guards and yard jockeys can perform fast, accurate trailer check-ins without leaving the cab or office.

RFID for Real-Time Visibility

Paired with Zebra fixed readers and antennas, RFID can automatically track:

• Trailer arrivals/departures
• Asset movement across yard zones
• Dock door status and bay availability
  
  

Strategic Systems helps design and deploy RFID portals at entry/exit points and dock doors linking real-time data to your WMS or YMS.

Private Wireless Infrastructure

Large yards often suffer from poor Wi-Fi coverage. Zebra’s latest devices like the MC9400 are built to run on Private LTE or 5G, and Strategic Systems can support you in evaluating or transitioning to these high-performance networks.

Zebra Fixed Industrial Scanners & Cameras

Optimize trailer visibility at entry/exit points with Zebra’s automatic license plate recognition and barcode scanning systems. These tools create a digital trail of every asset’s journey.

Why Work with Strategic Systems?

We don’t just sell rugged devices we build solutions tailored to your yard’s layout and operational flow. Our team brings:

• Site assessments and workflow mapping
• Zebra hardware and RFID system integration
• Network and software compatibility support
• Installation and employee training
• Ongoing support and device lifecycle services
  
  

We ensure your investment in yard tech leads to faster throughput, fewer errors, and greater driver satisfaction.

Results You Can See

Strategic Systems customers typically report:

• 30–50% reduction in trailer dwell time
• Real-time asset visibility across the yard
• Fewer missed dock appointments and manual entry errors
• Improved throughput and safety compliance
  
  

Optimize Your Yard Before 2025

Your dock and yard operations are too critical to leave to guesswork. With Zebra’s rugged hardware and Strategic Systems’ logistics expertise, you can transform a chaotic lot into a streamlined, connected hub of efficiency.

Ready to modernize your yard & terminal workflows?
Contact Strategic Systems to get started.