Sep 25, 2025

Transportation and logistics (T&L) operations are the heart of modern commerce. In a single day alone, the U.S. transportation system moves over 55.5 million tons of freight valued at more than $51.2 billion^[1]. So whether it’s a medium-sized distribution business, a 3PL provider, or a parcel carrier, companies across the supply chain must rely on efficiency, precision, and speed to meet an ever-increasing volume of goods, along with rising customer expectations. Every mile and every delivery is an opportunity to gain (or lose) momentum, profit margin, and customer trust.

Heartland understands these challenges and has helped hundreds of T&L businesses implement tangible improvements to keep up with rising demands. We deliver a comprehensive portfolio of solutions to optimize proof of receipt, fleet management, yard operations, and terminal workflows. With our blend of fleet management solutions, mobile computing and scanning technologies, and real-time visibility tools, companies can move from reactive operations to proactive growth. This blog will review five essential components of logistics operations and how the right tools can set T&L business up for success in each area.

Proof of Receipt: Closing the Loop on Every Delivery

Proof of receipt is no longer a “nice-to-have”, it’s the foundation of customer trust. When shipments arrive at the dock or the customer’s doorstep, businesses need more than a signed slip of paper. They need reliable, instant data to close the loop on the transaction.

Heartland enables proof of receipt through cutting-edge handheld scanners, rugged mobile computers, and mobile printers built for transportation and logistics workflows. These technologies empower drivers to instantly scan barcodes, capture digital signatures, and print confirmation receipts right at the delivery point. This ensures that proof of delivery integrates seamlessly into enterprise systems, reducing disputes and tightening the billing cycle.

With the right tools, the process is fast, accurate, and fully-connected. Instead of waiting for post-receipt reconciliation, customers gain immediate assurance, and businesses strengthen accountability at every handoff.

Fleet Management: Turning Vehicles into Intelligent Assets

For small to medium-sized businesses and growing logistics companies, fleet performance can make or break the bottom line. Trucks and vans are no longer just vehicles, they’re mobile data hubs that empower efficiency, safety, and compliance.

Effective fleet management solutions should provide live visibility into vehicle performance, driver behavior, fuel consumption, and route efficiency. These insights help businesses reduce costs, improve safety, and maximize on-time deliveries. And by pairing these capabilities with technologies like GPS tracking for vehicles in transport, companies can gain real-time insights that extend far beyond basic dispatching.

Imagine knowing exactly when a shipment will arrive, rerouting a driver instantly around traffic delays, or detecting vehicle issues before they turn into costly breakdowns. GPS tracking technologies can deliver these benefits by integrating location data directly into management systems, helping businesses save time, boost delivery accuracy, and improve the overall customer experience.

When your fleet management solutions integrate with other logistics workflows, you’re not just tracking vehicles, you’re transforming them into strategic assets.

Yard Management: Orchestrating the First and Final Miles

The shipping yard is often where the biggest bottlenecks hide. Trailers wait too long for assignment, dock doors remain underutilized, and check-in/check-out can take hours if processes rely on manual or paper logs.

Heartland’s yard management offerings address these pain points with real-time tracking solutions for logistics and mobile-enabled workflows that reduce wasted time. With smart mobile computing solutions, yard staff can manage trailer moves, dock scheduling, and gate entries without being tethered to a desk. Data flows instantly from handhelds or rugged tablets into central systems, enabling managers to see the entire yard in motion. This eliminates blind spots and improves asset utilization across the board. 

By combining real-time tracking with mobile technology, Heartland helps logistics companies orchestrate the yard seamlessly, ensuring every move is visible, accountable, and optimized. 

Terminal Operations: Keeping Freight Moving Smoothly

Terminals are high-volume environments where every second matters. Sorting, staging, and transferring freight requires precision and coordination to avoid costly delays. Implementing barcode scanning technology, rugged handhelds, and industrial-grade tablets can streamline data capture and communication, saving valuable time and resources.

The first step to streamlining terminal operations is ensuring that operators, dockworkers, and managers have durable, connected devices that can handle the demands of terminal workflows. From scanning shipments to updating system records, the right technology minimizes errors and maximizes throughput. These tools may include:

• Industrial tablets for drivers – Offering instant access to data from a safe, vehicle-mounted device
• Rugged mobile computers – Ergonomic, handheld computers that ensure seamless data transfer and communication
• Flexible range barcode scanners – Allowing for efficient data-capture, from close or far-range
• Rugged mobile printers – For instant printing of barcodes and other media, on-the-go

Trusted solution providers like Heartland can deliver these technologies and more to keep terminal operations synchronized from inbound to outbound, and to deliver full visibility at every checkpoint. 

Leveraging The Power of Integration

The true advantage of working with a systems integrator like Heartland lies in how they connect every link in the supply chain. Proof of receipt, fleet monitoring, yard visibility, and terminal operations don’t exist in silos, they’re interdependent parts of a larger system.

Heartland brings industry leading hardware together with transportation management software that unites data streams into a single source of information. Businesses can also utilize intuitive dashboards that deliver actionable insights to T&L managers. Pair these together and you’ve built a fully connected supply chain, from the moment freight leaves the yard until it reaches its destination. 

Why T&L Businesses Choose Heartland

For many mid-market businesses, technology investment can feel daunting. The key isn’t just purchasing devices or software, it’s finding a partner who understands how to align technology with real-world challenges.

Heartland specializes in delivering scalable solutions that fit the needs of businesses large and small, 3PL providers, and last-mile carriers. Whether it’s deploying mobile computing solutions for transportation to drivers, integrating fleet tracking mobile solutions into daily operations, or enabling proof of delivery through mobile printers, Heartland helps organizations modernize without overcomplicating.

With Heartland, businesses gain:

• Reduced costs with optimized fleet management solutions
• Increased visibility from Transportation Management Software
• Instant access to data with smart mobile devices
• Stronger accountability through real-time tracking solutions for logistics
• Future-ready infrastructure

The Road Ahead

The future of transportation and logistics is not just faster, it’s smarter. Companies that embrace digital transformation gain the agility to adapt, the visibility to deliver on promises, and the resilience to stay competitive.

Heartland is committed to equipping your business with the tools you need to thrive. From GPS Tracking for vehicles, to barcode scanning technologies, our solutions are built to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.

Ready to get on the road to smoother T&L operations? Schedule a quick meeting to get started.

[1] Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation