Top 12 Yard Jockey Skills to Put on Your Resume
In the fast-paced logistics and transportation world, a yard jockey keeps the yard humming—trailers in the right spots, docks flowing, chaos tamed. Showcasing the right skills on your resume signals you can sharpen turnaround times, reduce headaches, and keep freight moving without drama.
Yard Jockey Skills
- Trailer Maneuvering
- Safety Compliance
- DOT Regulations
- Forklift Operation
- Yard Management Systems (YMS)
- GPS Navigation
- RF Scanners
- Preventive Maintenance
- Time Management
- Communication Devices
- Hazardous Materials Handling
- Electronic Logging Devices (ELD)
1. Trailer Maneuvering
Trailer maneuvering is the art and discipline of positioning trailers precisely with a yard tractor or similar unit—lining up doors, threading tight corners, and setting docks without scuffs or surprises.
Why It's Important
It drives speed and safety. Clean placements mean faster loads, fewer pull-ups, less damage, and a yard that breathes instead of bottlenecks.
How to Improve Trailer Maneuvering Skills
Master the dynamics: Know your pivot point, off-tracking, swing, and how tiny steering inputs ripple through the trailer.
Drill with intent: Practice sight-side and blind-side backing with cones. Use mirrors like instruments. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
Set up your approach: Plan angles early. Take the space you need. One extra pull-up beats one bent bumper.
Use help when needed: Spotters, well-adjusted mirrors, and cameras (if equipped) turn guesswork into control.
Stay calm: Breathe, pause, correct. Rushing multiplies mistakes.
How to Display Trailer Maneuvering Skills on Your Resume
2. Safety Compliance
Safety compliance means following established rules, procedures, and protective practices to keep people, equipment, and freight out of harm’s way during every move.
Why It's Important
It prevents injuries, cuts downtime, avoids fines, and keeps operations running without messy interruptions.
How to Improve Safety Compliance Skills
Train and refresh: Regular hands-on instruction on equipment operation, yard hazards, and emergency response. Short refreshers stick.
Use clear procedures: Standard operating procedures, visible signage, and simple checklists make safe choices the default.
Inspect, every time: Pre-shift and post-shift checks catch small issues before they turn big and expensive.
Gear up: PPE for the task—hi-vis, boots, gloves, hearing/eye protection—worn correctly, not just carried.
Report and learn: Encourage near-miss reporting, quick fixes, and frequent audits. Problems spoken are problems solved.
How to Display Safety Compliance Skills on Your Resume
3. DOT Regulations
DOT regulations are the rules that govern commercial vehicle safety, hours of service, equipment condition, and related operations. For yard jockeys, the focus is on compliant movements, accurate records, and safe equipment—especially when crossing public roads.
Why It's Important
Compliance keeps people safe, shields the company from penalties, and ensures equipment and drivers meet required standards.
How to Improve DOT Regulations Skills
Know the scope: Understand when yard moves are exempt, when public-road travel triggers full requirements, and how short-haul rules apply.
Get DVIR right: Perform thorough pre/post-trip inspections and document defects and repairs accurately.
Hours and statuses: Use proper duty statuses (including yard-move status where applicable) and avoid false drive time.
Equipment and securement: Learn basic weight, securement, and placarding concepts—especially when moving loaded or hazmat-marked trailers.
Stay current: Review policy updates with dispatch or safety teams and refresh training on a routine cadence.
How to Display DOT Regulations Skills on Your Resume
4. Forklift Operation
Forklift operation covers safe, precise movement of pallets and materials—stacking, staging, and shuttling goods to keep docks and yards flowing.
Why It's Important
It speeds loading, prevents product damage, and reduces injuries. Smooth forklift work is the grease for efficient yards.
How to Improve Forklift Operation Skills
Get certified: Formal training plus periodic refreshers. Fundamentals matter under pressure.
Respect stability: Know load centers, keep forks low while traveling, and match speed to environment.
Plan the path: Clear lanes, marked traffic flows, and defined pedestrian zones reduce ugly surprises.
Use spotters when needed: Especially with oversized or high loads that obscure vision.
Inspect and maintain: Daily checks on brakes, forks, hydraulics, tires, and safety devices keep downtime at bay.
How to Display Forklift Operation Skills on Your Resume
5. Yard Management Systems (YMS)
A Yard Management System coordinates trailer moves, dock scheduling, and yard visibility. For a yard jockey, it’s the live map and task list that cuts out guesswork.
Why It's Important
With a solid YMS, trailers don’t go missing, drivers aren’t idling, and moves get prioritized sensibly. More flow, less chaos.
How to Improve Yard Management Systems (YMS) Skills
Connect systems: Link YMS with WMS and TMS so yard moves reflect real order priorities in real time.
Boost visibility: Use trailer IDs, geofences, and location updates so the system reflects the yard as it is, not as it was.
Automate assignments: Route tasks to the nearest available jockey based on urgency and workload.
Go mobile: Handheld or cab-mounted devices with instant updates beat printed lists every time.
Measure and refine: Track dwell time, turns, and door utilization. Adjust processes where the data points.
Train for adoption: Short, focused training sessions and quick reference guides keep usage consistent.
How to Display Yard Management Systems (YMS) Skills on Your Resume
6. GPS Navigation
GPS navigation helps locate trailers, map the yard, and guide movements efficiently—especially on sprawling or multi-lot sites.
Why It's Important
It trims search time, reduces wrong turns, and supports smarter dispatching inside the gate and just outside it.
How to Improve GPS Navigation Skills
Use accurate maps: Maintain a current yard map with dock numbers, staging zones, and no-go areas.
Add precision tools: Geofences, updated landmarks, and clear signage fill gaps when satellite signals struggle.
Tight feedback loop: Report map errors and layout changes immediately so everyone’s devices stay aligned with reality.
Blend tech with eyes: GPS guides; mirrors, markers, and speed discipline keep you safe.
How to Display GPS Navigation Skills on Your Resume
7. RF Scanners
RF scanners capture trailer, pallet, or container data wirelessly, pushing real-time updates into yard and warehouse systems.
Why It's Important
Fast scans mean fewer mismatches, cleaner inventory, and instant location confidence when the clock is ticking.
How to Improve RF Scanners Skills
Use rugged devices: Drop-resistant, glove-friendly, readable in rain or glare.
Strengthen connectivity: Ensure yard-wide Wi‑Fi or reliable network coverage with minimal dead zones.
Simplify screens: Short workflows, big buttons, minimal typing. Speed lives in the UI.
Manage power: Hot-swap batteries, charging cradles, and a rotation plan so devices don’t die mid-move.
Train and audit: Teach proper scan habits and spot-check data accuracy. Fix root causes, not just errors.
How to Display RF Scanners Skills on Your Resume
8. Preventive Maintenance
Preventive maintenance is planned inspection and service that keeps yard tractors, forklifts, and support gear reliable and safe. For the yard jockey, it’s daily checks and timely reporting that stop breakdowns before they start.
Why It's Important
It limits downtime, reduces repair costs, and protects operators. A healthy fleet is a faster yard.
How to Improve Preventive Maintenance Skills
Run on a schedule: Service intervals based on hours, mileage, and use conditions—no guesswork.
Daily walkarounds: Tires, brakes, lights, fluids, leaks, alarms—log the check, note the defect, tag out if unsafe.
Track everything: Use a maintenance log or CMMS to record issues, repairs, and parts used.
Monitor condition: Fluid checks, temperature or vibration clues, and operator feedback catch problems early.
Stock critical spares: Belts, bulbs, hoses, tires—shorten repair time with the right parts on hand.
Close the loop: After repair, verify operation and update records. No mystery gaps.
How to Display Preventive Maintenance Skills on Your Resume
9. Time Management
Time management means sequencing moves smartly, avoiding deadhead trips, and keeping docks supplied without clogging lanes.
Why It's Important
It accelerates throughput, trims wait time, and turns hectic shifts into steady cadence.
How to Improve Time Management Skills
Pre-plan the shift: Review the yard map, hot loads, and dock schedule. Know what’s first and why.
Batch moves: Group tasks by zone to cut crisscrossing. Combine return legs with productive pickups.
Prioritize ruthlessly: Hot doors and time-sensitive loads leapfrog routine moves—communicate changes fast.
Create buffers: Leave margin for surprises. A few minutes now saves twenty later.
Review and adapt: End-of-shift recap—what slipped, what saved time, what to tweak tomorrow.
How to Display Time Management Skills on Your Resume
10. Communication Devices
Communication devices—radios, headsets, mobile units—connect jockeys, dispatch, and docks in real time.
Why It's Important
Swift, clear communication cuts confusion, boosts safety, and aligns every move to the plan.
How to Improve Communication Devices Skills
Go hands-free where possible: Keep both hands for the wheel and the job.
Standardize radio etiquette: Short, specific messages and confirmed acknowledgments. No guesswork.
Test coverage: Map dead spots and fix them. Reliable signal beats shouting.
Integrate with the cab: Vehicle-mounted audio and push-to-talk simplify use on the move.
Maintain and label: Charged batteries, spare units, clear channel plans. Tools fail less when cared for.
How to Display Communication Devices Skills on Your Resume
11. Hazardous Materials Handling
Hazardous materials handling covers the safe movement and placement of trailers or containers carrying regulated goods—respecting labels, segregation rules, and emergency procedures.
Why It's Important
It protects people, property, and the environment. Mistakes here echo loud and long.
How to Improve Hazardous Materials Handling Skills
Complete formal training: Learn classifications, placards, segregation, and response basics.
Read the SDS and paperwork: Know what’s on board, where it’s allowed, and what to do if something spills.
Verify trailers: Check placards, seals, and securement before you move a hazmat unit.
Equip for incidents: Spill kits, absorbents, PPE, and a clear alarm/evacuation plan.
Practice the plan: Drills build muscle memory when seconds matter.
How to Display Hazardous Materials Handling Skills on Your Resume
12. Electronic Logging Devices (ELD)
An Electronic Logging Device records duty status and drive time. For yard jockeys, correct use of yard-move and short-haul rules prevents log errors while maintaining compliance.
Why It's Important
Accurate logs curb fatigue, avoid violations, and keep audits boring—in the best way.
How to Improve Electronic Logging Devices (ELD) Skills
Configure statuses correctly: Use yard-move status when appropriate and prevent accidental drive events.
Sync often: Ensure vehicles, time, and user profiles stay aligned to avoid orphaned entries.
Simplify the workflow: Pre-set common actions and minimize taps so eyes stay on the job.
Connect systems: Align ELD with dispatch/YMS data to reduce manual entry and mismatches.
Train and spot-check: Quick refreshers and periodic reviews keep logs clean and consistent.
How to Display Electronic Logging Devices (ELD) Skills on Your Resume
