Check-in is the formal entry record of a unit into the yard: it validates that the appointment exists, that the driver is who they claim, that equipment is correct and in condition, and that the unit has an assigned next step with an owner. It is the first link of the shipment trip file, and the time logged there later defends (or loses) a detention dispute.
- steps
- 5
- areas
- 4
- times (gate+dock)
- 2
- ownerless queue
- 0
The typical problem is not lack of people but lack of flow: the queue has no owner because nobody created it on purpose.
Cluster: detention · release · audit.
Who validates what
Five steps, four areas, one record. Security, traffic, and warehouse in order.
Who validates what (and in what order)
Five steps, four areas, one record. Without timestamps it is not check-in.
| Step | Owner | Validates | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Arrival | Security | ID / plates | Real time |
| 2. Appt | Traffic | Same-day appointment | On time / late |
| 3. Equipment | Traffic / warehouse | Type + seal | Seal # + photo |
| 4. Condition | Warehouse | Box / temperature | Exceptions |
| 5. Next step | Traffic | Dock or hold | Instruction to driver |
The ownerless queue
A unit without a next step enters limbo: detention, cascading appointments, and a full yard.
The ownerless queue
No unit crosses the gate without an assigned destination.
Select a step to see detail
Step detail · 01
Gate
Entry with destination
Three early rejects
No appointment, wrong equipment, or incomplete documents: say no early.
Three early rejects that should hurt little
Saying no at the gate costs minutes; at the dock it costs the slot.
01
No appointment
Log arrival and reject or reschedule in writing.
02
Wrong equipment
Dirty or wrong box type: reschedule, do not load.
03
Incomplete docs
License or shipment papers: minutes at gate, hours at dock.
Gate vs dock time
Arrival, assignment, handling start/end, exit. Related: bottleneck, detention.
What OCL runs
OCL Cargo is an autonomous TMS with agents and computer use (operating screens and portals like an analyst). It builds the trip file per shipment, cross-checks evidence, and leaves exceptions to humans. It coexists without a day-one TMS migration. OCL can stamp invoice and Carta Porte. On the Mexico–US corridor, the value is closing the trip file before paying.
Trip file
Flow control
Arrival
Gate
Appt
Validate
Next
Assign
Log
Defend
6–8 week pilot (check-in)
Latest detention bills: timeline reconstruction and % defendable. Goal: 100% of entries with arrival time and destination.
Elige un paso para ver el detalle
Detalle del paso · 01
Real arrival time
Key takeaways5 points
- Check-in = appointment, identity, equipment, condition, and next step with an owner.
- Without logged times you have access control, not check-in.
- No unit crosses the gate without an assigned destination.
- Rejecting at the gate costs minutes; at the dock it costs the slot.
- The timeline defends (or loses) detention.
Do you pay detention you cannot dispute because the gate never logged the story?
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Log both. Detention disputes are fought with the full timeline.
Written policy: if you accept early arrivals, appointment time still governs detention and is logged at check-in.
It helps, but the form works with a disciplined sheet. The guard’s memory and WhatsApp as a log do not.
Traffic assigns destination; without destination there is no complete check-in.
Arrival/assignment/handling/exit log tied to the trip file and invoice. It can stamp Carta Porte.