Apparatus and method for freight delivery and pick-up

Abstract

An exemplary non-limiting embodiment of the present invention provides a system that includes a loading/unloading facility, a user apparatus having a user interface configured to communicate with a driver of a delivery/pick-up vehicle, and an administrator apparatus configured to communicate with the user apparatus and the loading/unloading facility. The user apparatus is located remotely from the loading/unloading facility. The driver checks into the user apparatus and the administrator apparatus coordinates arrival of the delivery/pick-up vehicle at the loading/unloading facility.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for conducting driver check-in procedures in connection with deliveries to and/or pick-ups from a loading/unloading facility, comprising:
 a user apparatus configured to interact with a driver such that the driver can perform check-in procedures when making a delivery to or making a pickup from a loading/unloading facility, the user apparatus comprising:
 a user interface configured to communicate with a driver of a freight delivery/pick-up vehicle and to enable the driver to perform check-in procedures; and 
 at least one input device that is configured to receive driver and/or vehicle information; and 
   an administrator apparatus configured to send messages to drivers of delivery/pick-up vehicles via the user apparatus, wherein the administrator apparatus is configured to:
 determine the availability of loading docks at the loading/unloading facility based on signals received from sensors monitoring activity at the loading docks; 
 cause a message to be presented a driver via the user apparatus when the driver is performing check-in procedures instructing the driver to proceed to a loading dock of the loading/unloading facility when a loading dock at the loading/unloading facility is available; and 
 cause a message to be presented to a driver via the user apparatus when the driver is performing check-in procedures instructing the driver to wait at a location remote from the loading/unloading facility when no loading dock at the loading/unloading facility is available. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one input device comprises a card reader that is configured to obtain information from a driver identification card, and wherein the user apparatus is configured to verify a driver's identity using information obtained from a driver identification card by the card reader. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the card reader is configured to obtain driver identity related information from an RFID chip of a driver identification card. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one input device further comprises a biometric scanner configured to read biometric information from a driver;
 wherein the card reader is configured to obtain driver biometric information from a driver's identification card; and   wherein the user apparatus is configured to compare driver biometric information read from a driver by the biometric scanner to driver biometric information obtained from the driver's identification card by the card reader to help verify the driver's identity.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the user apparatus further comprises a printer, and wherein when the user apparatus is able to verify a driver's identity based on information obtained from a driver identification card by the card reader, the user apparatus is configured to print an authorization document that a driver can use to gain access to the loading/unloading facility. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an imaging device configured to capture an image of a vehicle that includes a Department of Transportation (DOT) number appearing on the vehicle, and wherein the user apparatus is configured to:
 analyze an image of a vehicle captured by the imaging device to determine the DOT number appearing on the vehicle;   obtain driver information based on the DOT number; and   compare the obtained driver information to driver information obtained by the at least one input device to help verify a driver's identity.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one input device comprises a card reader that is configured to obtain information from a driver identification card, and wherein the user apparatus is configured to verify a driver's identity using both the information obtained from a driver identification card by the card reader and the driver information obtained based on the DOT number. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one input device further comprises a biometric scanner configured to read biometric information from a driver;
 wherein the card reader is configured to obtain driver biometric information from a driver's identification card; and   wherein the user apparatus also is configured to verify the driver's identity based on a comparison of driver biometric information read from a driver by the biometric scanner and driver biometric information obtained from the driver's identification card by the card reader.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user apparatus is installed at a location that is remote from the loading/unloading facility. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to enable a driver to conduct a videoconference with an administrator as part of conducting check-in procedures. 
     
     
         11 . A system for conducting driver check-in procedures in connection with deliveries to and/or pick-ups from a loading/unloading facility, comprising:
 a driver kiosk installed at a location remote from the loading/unloading facility, the driver kiosk comprising at least one processor and being configured to interact with a driver such that the driver can perform check-in procedures when making a delivery to or making a pickup from the loading/unloading facility, the driver kiosk comprising:
 a user interface including a display screen and a user input device, wherein the user interface is configured to enable a driver to conduct driver check-in procedures when the driver needs to make a delivery to or a pickup from the loading/unloading facility; and 
 a card reader that is configured to obtain information from a driver identification card; 
 wherein the driver kiosk is configured to verify a driver's identity using information obtained from a driver identification card by the card reader; and 
   an administrator apparatus configured to send messages to a drivers via the user interface of the driver kiosk, wherein the administrator apparatus is configured to:
 determine the availability of loading docks at the loading/unloading facility based on signals received from sensors monitoring activity at the loading docks; 
 cause a message to be presented a driver via the user interface when the driver is performing check-in procedures instructing the driver to proceed to a loading dock of the loading/unloading facility when a loading dock at the loading/unloading facility is available; and 
 cause a message to be presented to a driver via the user interface when the driver is performing check-in procedures instructing the driver to wait at a location remote from the loading/unloading facility when no loading dock at the loading/unloading facility is available. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the administrator apparatus is configured to cause a message to be presented to a driver via the user interface after the driver has already conducted check in procedures instructing the driver to proceed to a loading dock of the loading/unloading facility at a specific time. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the card reader is configured to obtain driver identity related information from an RFID chip of a driver identification card. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the card reader is configured to obtain information from a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card, and wherein the driver kiosk is configured to verify an identity of a driver based on the information obtained from the TWIC card. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the driver kiosk further comprises a biometric scanner configured to read biometric information from a driver;
 wherein the driver kiosk is configured to obtain driver biometric information based on information obtained from a driver's identification card by the card reader; and   wherein the driver kiosk is configured to compare driver biometric information read from a driver by the biometric scanner to driver biometric information that is obtained based on information obtained from a driver's identification card by the card reader to help verify the driver's identity.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the user apparatus further comprises a printer, and wherein when the driver kiosk is able to verify a driver's identity based on information obtained from a driver identification card by the card reader, the driver kiosk is configured to cause the printer to print an authorization document that a driver can use to gain access to the loading/unloading facility. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising an imaging device configured to capture an image of a vehicle that includes a Department of Transportation (DOT) number appearing on the vehicle, and wherein the driver kiosk is configured to:
 analyze an image of a vehicle captured by the imaging device to determine the DOT number appearing on the vehicle;   obtain driver information based on the DOT number; and   compare the driver information obtained based on the DOT number to driver information obtained from a driver identification card by the card reader to help verify a driver's identity.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the driver kiosk further comprises a biometric scanner configured to read biometric information from a driver;
 wherein the driver kiosk is configured to obtain driver biometric information based on information read from a driver's identification card by the card reader; and   wherein the driver kiosk also is configured to verify the driver's identity based on a comparison of driver biometric information read from a driver by the biometric scanner and driver biometric information obtained based on information read from a driver's identification card by the card reader.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the user interface is configured to enable a driver to conduct a videoconference with an administrator as part of conducting check-in procedures. 
     
     
         20 . A processor-implemented method for management of freight pick-up and delivery, comprising:
 receiving, by a processor circuit of a user apparatus fixed at a location remote from a loading/unloading facility, driver information;   authenticating the identity of the driver based on the received driver information;   determining, by a processor circuit of an administrator apparatus, an availability of loading docks at the loading/unloading facility based on signals received from sensors monitoring activity at the loading docks;   causing a message to be presented a driver via the user apparatus when the driver is performing check-in procedures instructing the driver to proceed to a loading dock of the loading/unloading facility when a loading dock at the loading/unloading facility is available; and   cause a message to be presented to a driver via the user apparatus when the driver is performing check-in procedures instructing the driver to wait at a location remote from the loading/unloading facility when no loading dock at the loading/unloading facility is available.