Overview

C3 Yard combines live yard status with shunter tasking, gate check-in, trailer inventory, and dock-door management. C3 identifies particular value at sites with four or more shunters and at least 100 trailers, where coordinating movements across a busy yard is a substantial operational need. Smaller sites should weigh that enterprise orientation against the custom-quote purchase.

Key features

Yard visibility and shunter tasking

Yard View shows trailer locations and whether each is loaded or unloaded, giving teams a current operational picture. Configured rules and priorities determine shunter assignments, with instructions delivered through a mobile application. This suits sites that need tasks to reflect local processes; the payoff depends on configuring those rules to match how the yard works.

Mobile access and integrations

The mobile Progressive Web Application supports yard, gate, and warehouse functions and is described as compatible with any smartphone. C3 Yard is SaaS-only, accessed through a web browser and the C3 Hub mobile application. Connections to TMS, WMS, and RTV systems use APIs, web services, XML, or flat-file transfers over SFTP, giving organizations several integration approaches for existing systems.

Configuration, access, and security

Customers can configure processes, business rules, sites, roles, and permissions. Users can be assigned to one or more sites, with custom roles for internal and external users; this is useful for operations spanning sites or involving outside parties. C3 says it is certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and is working toward AICPA SOC 2 compliance. It also says it runs vulnerability scans at least weekly and commissions independent penetration and vulnerability tests annually.

Customer data older than 24 months is purged from the production environment and is no longer available for reporting. Organizations that need older operational records for reporting should account for that retention limit.

Pricing

C3 Yard is paid software with custom pricing. The tailored quote depends on yard size, features, customization, and integration needs, so buyers should assess the full scope of their operation before evaluating cost. No fixed tier or public price is available to compare against smaller-site requirements.

Uptime guarantees range from 99.0% to 99.9%, depending on the selected Service Program package. Implementation support includes account managers, project managers, business specialists, and product managers, with super-user training during implementation. Buyers should establish which package’s uptime commitment and support arrangement fits their operation.

Platforms

C3 Yard supports Android, iOS, web, and API access. The product is offered only as SaaS; mobile yard, gate, and warehouse functions are delivered through its Progressive Web Application and C3 Hub mobile application.

Who it's for

C3 Yard is a strong fit for retail, parcel, and other large distribution-center yards that coordinate many trailers and shunters, especially sites with four or more shunters and 100 or more trailers. Its configurable workflows, multi-site access controls, and integration options suit operations with established processes and connected TMS, WMS, or RTV systems. It is less compelling for a small yard with limited movement complexity or for teams requiring production reporting beyond 24 months.

Pros and cons

Pro: Live trailer locations and loaded or unloaded status give yard teams a shared current view.
Pro: Rule- and priority-based shunter assignments can reflect customer processes rather than a single fixed workflow.
Pro: API, web-service, XML, and SFTP flat-file options provide several paths to connect TMS, WMS, and RTV systems.
Con: Custom pricing requires buyers to obtain a tailored quote, complicating early cost comparisons.
Con: Production data older than 24 months is purged, limiting long-horizon reporting within the system.
Con: The product’s stated operational focus is larger yards, making it a less natural fit for smaller sites.

Alternatives

Consider the Royal 4 WISE Yard Management System if Android, iOS, web, and Windows access or a yard appointment and dock-door scheduler is central to the choice.

myQ Enterprise Gate Management is another paid option with Android, iOS, and web platforms for buyers comparing gate-management products.

Eagle View Yard Management System may suit buyers who want a stated allowance of up to 60 active users, with additional users sold in blocks of 10 at $20 per user per month.

GoRamp Yard Management is worth considering for a web-only operation seeking a tailored quote based on operation size and required modules.

Trimble Freight Marketplace is an alternative to compare if a free plan is important.

Vector Yard Management offers Android, iOS, web, and API platforms for buyers comparing platform coverage.

Andlor Yard Management System offers a choice between an on-demand hosted ASP service and a purchased license to run in-house.

DKS YMS is an alternative for buyers considering SaaS or self-hosted deployment; its SaaS pricing depends on the number of objects and users.

Browse more options in Yard Management Software.

Verdict

Choose C3 Yard for a large, busy yard that needs live trailer visibility, configurable shunter tasking, and gate and dock functions alongside integrations with existing systems. Its central trade-offs are custom pricing and a 24-month production-data retention window; smaller operations or teams needing older reporting records should look elsewhere.

	C3 Yard	INFORM YMSlite
Free plan	No	No
Free trial	No	Yes
Paid from	—	$500/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, Web	Web
Gate check-in	Yes	Yes
Trailer inventory	Yes	Yes
Yard map	Yes	—
Dock-door management	Yes	Yes
Mobile app	Yes	—
Free plan	—	No

C3 Yard vs INFORM YMSlite

C3 Yard

INFORM YMSlite