Yard management technology provider Gatego announced Monday it has launched its gate management system after years of piloting the technology with undisclosed partners.
Gatego was founded by CEO Adrian Garcia, whose firsthand experience in his family’s trailer yards highlighted the inefficiencies of traditional systems.
“I grew up around trailer yards, and even as a kid, I could see how archaic the systems were,” Garcia explained to FreightWaves in an interview. “My family was still using pen and paper to track who was coming in and out. I knew there had to be a better way.”
What began as an effort to automate trailer gate operations for his family quickly evolved into a larger mission to digitize yard management entirely.
“Automation requires data, and we didn’t have the imagery or information needed to train our AI and computer vision models,” Garcia said.
He set out to address this gap, building a system that captured that detailed yard data needed to streamline operations.
At the core of its solution is the integration of advanced AI models, including proprietary technology and general purpose systems, to achieve accuracy by combining multiple data sources.
The platform is powered by Happy Robot, an AI voice agent that captures additional information beyond what cameras detect and communicates vital instructions and facility details to drivers.
Garcia explained that unlike traditional systems that rely on maintenance-heavy kiosks, Gatego provides a fully automated experience that eliminates the need for gate personnel while still offering hybrid capabilities for hands-on inspections, including trailer door checks, tire inspections and compliance with Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism procedures.
“Employing three guards for 24/7 coverage costs an average of $236,788 annually, varying by market. Automating yard operations can save up to $193,588 per year, or approximately 82% in costs, by eliminating labor, payroll taxes, insurance and manual yard check inefficiencies,” Garcia told FreightWaves.
Additionally, giving managers a real-time look into their yard operations reduces the risk of cargo theft, which accounts for billions of dollars in annual losses.
Poor visibility in trailer yards is a major contributor to detention costs as well. It led to an $11.5 billion loss of productivity in 2023 for carriers in the U.S. alone, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.
Gatego’s plug-and-play solution directly addresses these challenges.
“We designed the system to be affordable and customizable,” Garcia says. “Our goal is to help businesses modernize without massive upfront investments or lengthy integrations.”
The public launch is just the beginning of what Garcia envisions as a connected network of trailer yards, and with the logistics industry increasingly focused on automation and visibility, it comes at a critical time.
According to research, the global yard management solutions market is expected to grow at a double-digit compound annual growth rate through 2030, driven by increasing demand for streamlined operations.
“I envision a future where all trailer yards are connected through the platform, providing visibility across the supply chain. It’s an ambitious goal, but one that I believe is essential for an industry that can no longer afford to rely on manual processes,” he said.
Looking ahead to 2025, the company is prioritizing product development, working on new and advanced features to enhance its automated gate management system, and expanding its team to meet the increasing demand.
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