From the complex rail networks of Australia to the United States’ interconnected supply chains, Sarah Quick has carved a career out of ensuring the smooth, safe movement of goods around the globe. Starting in the rail industry in Australia, Quick recognized the critical role transportation plays in meeting the ever-growing demands of our world. Her journey, which spans continents and encompasses diverse sectors, gave Quick a unique perspective on the intricate balance of infrastructure, technology and human beings.
“There are so many different moving parts and interdependencies in the supply chain,” says Quick, YMX Logistics’ head of fleet transformation and safety. “If each steppingstone in the process isn’t fulfilled properly, it can turn the entire supply chain on end.” In her current role, Quick focuses on building reliable systems and teams, and ensuring that our Fleet and Safety of the highest standards.
“My role in fleet and safety is ensuring that YMX provides reliable services, assets and reliable operations,” says Quick, who joined the company in August 2024 after two years of working for heavy, dedicated freight service provider Day & Ross, which also offers a basic yard management system (YMS). As someone who relies on YMS in her career, Quick says she saw potential in a platform that she could constantly review for efficiencies and improvements.
“When I joined YMX, I already had a forward-thinking view of how yard management services should be perceived and how we can help build confidence with our customers,” says Quick, who sees customer education as a critical aspect of both yard and transportation management as a whole. “Our goal is to give customers a full bandwidth of solutions that we can bring to the table and a seamless experience”.
In her role as the head of fleet transformation and safety, Quick evaluates fleet modes that suit YMX’s operational models—from electric vehicle (EV) technology to diesels and everything in between. She assesses customer asset needs and expectations and helps determine the best possible solution for specific applications. Quick and her team also look at emerging technologies, keep close tabs on marketplace developments, and take other steps to ensure that YMX continually strives for excellence in its operating model.
“We factor in safety both from the engineering and the user perspective,” says Quick. For example, drivers are continually educated on safe driving operations and then incentivized to ensure that those commitments are adhered to both in the yard and out on the open road, which also caters to on-the-go coaches and training that offers the best solution for developing our workforce. The company also leverages its partnership with Orange EV, which designs and manufactures zero-emission, heavy-duty electric trucks.
“We’re bringing the EV units to customers that are exploring ways to replace existing diesel vehicles,” says Quick. “We work closely with our vendors to evaluate new improvements that they’re bringing to their assets, which translates into a continual working loop of technology review and asset performance.”
With technology evolving so quickly right now, Quick and her team sometimes encounter challenges “keeping up” with those advancements and culling the choices down to solutions that are truly “fit for purpose” for YMX’s operations and their customers.
“A lot of companies get very excited about technology and want our customers to be excited and support their growth. “At YMX, we assess what we do and don't need, with the goal of making sure our fleet assets are 100% always going to meet customer expectations and support our customer service commitment.”
Quick credits YMX’s “fantastic safety team” with staying up to date on safety training and developing effective safety programs for the company’s operations. Training is critical to making sure those programs are effective, she adds. “For example, when new assets are added, the training focuses on ensuring that drivers understand their assets and how to operate them safely,” she explains.
YMX also partners with technology providers like Netradyne and Trimble to monitor drivers' and assets' safety and performance and ensure that drivers “Understand their personal Safety Performance and how to improve.” Then, the company rewards the safe, efficient operators with bonuses and other rewards, and offers up additional training and support to those who need it. We as a team continue to work with our drivers every day to improve the Safety Performance and culture as we strive towards best practice.
One of YMX’s goals for 2025 is to continue working to change the culture around yard management and the inaccurate belief that individuals working in the yard are primarily performing “grunt work”—a myth that Quick wants to help eliminate. “Yard management services are a critical key piece of bringing everything together in the broader supply chain,” she points out. “Knowing this, we want to change the culture and attitude around it and emphasize that this career choice can lead to a fruitful, enjoyable, long-term opportunity.”
Looking ahead, Quick says she’d also like to get involved with establishing more robust fleet standardization across the industry. “I’d love to see an industry association formed around yard management,” she says, “and focused on enlisting dedicated focus groups and users to help build out standards for a part of the supply chain industry that not everyone understands or really even knows exists.”
Reflecting on her long-term success in the logistics industry, Quick encourages women to explore the opportunities and not be afraid to jump in and test the waters. She says “being a knowledge sponge” is a great way to learn the ropes while also figuring out which corner of the industry would be the best fit for you.
“Don’t limit the volume of information you take in because at the end of the day, you never know when that information is going to be relevant to your career,” says Quick. “I've learned so much over the last 20+ years—like how to effectively bridge the gap between logistics, trucking and engineering, for example—and a lot of that knowledge continues to help me to this day.”