A yard jockey (also called a spotter or hostler) is a driver whose job is to move trailers around a distribution center’s yard — pulling them from parking to dock doors and back, using a specialized short-range yard truck.
Keeping trailers flowing to and from the docks is what lets a busy facility load and unload efficiently, and it supports fast drop and hook turnarounds for over-the-road drivers. It’s a role focused entirely on-site, not on the highway.