Data at the Dock: How Real-Time Visibility Tools Are Changing Last-Mile Outcomes

Canadian docks are moving freight for an online economy that is growing at a rapid rate. This economy now includes over 27 million e-commerce users, about 72.5% of the population, according to a Made in CA report updated in January of this year. The same report projects that retail e-commerce sales will reach $108 billion by the end of 2025, with Canadians making an average of 16.6 online purchases each year. This sustained order volume is intensifying the need for real-time visibility tools that keep goods moving without costly delays.

The Cost of Limited Visibility

Dockside delays are measurable and expensive. A 2024 report from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) found that driver detention costs carriers an average of US$66.65 per hour, while shippers are charged about US$63.71 per hour for detention time. The same study reported that drivers spend an average of 2.3 hours detained per stop, which can reduce their available drive time by up to 20% per day.

For Canadian operations—particularly in cross-border shipping—any lack of visibility into customs status, arrival times, or inventory location magnifies these costs. Reducing uncertainty at the dock is both an operational efficiency measure and a direct cost-control strategy.

Real-Time Visibility in Action

AI-powered tracking, predictive analytics, and dynamic routing enable precise dock scheduling and faster turnarounds. Real-time updates on customs clearance, truck locations, and shipment status give operations teams the lead time needed to minimize idle labour and equipment.

A 2025 driver-safety study by Geotab, in partnership with Endeavor Business Intelligence and the Angus Reid Forum, found that 68% of commercial drivers say work-related stress negatively impacts their driving performance. Much of this stress stems from uncertainty around schedules, delays, and loading times—issues that real-time visibility tools directly address. By reducing uncertainty, these tools contribute to safer, more consistent driver performance and help protect delivery reliability.

The ATRI also links poor scheduling visibility to safety risks, finding that trucks detained at docks often operate at higher speeds before and after the delay, increasing risk exposure. Real-time visibility reduces detention, mitigating both the financial and safety consequences.

“When our dock teams have predictive ETAs and live customs status, we can make informed decisions in minutes instead of hours,” says Jesse Mitchell at Strader-Ferris International. “That predictability reduces detention costs, keeps freight moving on schedule, and ensures a consistent delivery experience our customers can rely on.”

These capabilities address a competitive reality: in high-volume, cross-border logistics, the ability to anticipate and respond in real time is directly tied to delivery reliability, safety, and profitability.

Jesse Mitchell, Director of Business Development at Strader-Ferris

Impacts Beyond the Dock

Real-time visibility delivers measurable benefits that extend past the loading area:

• Reduced detention hours through early alerts and readiness

• Optimized staffing that cuts unnecessary labour costs

• Lower emissions from fewer idling trucks and unnecessary routes

• Improved customer communication with accurate ETAs

A June 2024 Statistics Canada release reported a 19.2% increase in gig and platform-based delivery work, bringing the total to 278,000 workers, even as payroll employment in local delivery declined. This shift to a more fragmented workforce makes consistent scheduling and coordination more challenging. Real-time visibility tools help overcome this by standardizing communication and performance expectations across a dispersed delivery network, ensuring that customers experience the same reliability regardless of who makes the final delivery.

Visibility as a Competitive Standard

Growth in Canadian last-mile delivery—driven heavily by e-commerce—has made the dock a critical control point for cost, efficiency, and customer trust. In a market where margins are closely tied to timing, the ability to anticipate and react in real time is paramount. Real-time visibility should be considered a baseline operational standard, not an optional upgrade.

The Supply Chainer’s Insights are submitted content. The views expressed in this column are that of the author and don’t necessarily reflect the views of The Supply Chainer. Jesse Mitchell is the Director of Business Development at Strader-Ferris International, a Canadian and U.S. customs brokerage, cross-border logistics, and warehousing company.