Jobsite Delivery and Dispatching in the Field: How Contractors Use It
In the construction industry, efficient jobsite delivery and dispatching are critical for maintaining smooth operations, reducing delays, and ensuring the timely availability of materials and equipment. Contractors use various strategies and technologies to manage the logistics of materials, tools, and labor to optimize productivity and minimize disruptions. Let’s break down how contractors effectively use jobsite delivery and dispatching in the field.
- Real-Time Material Delivery Management
Challenge: Job sites often have tight schedules and require materials to be delivered at specific times to avoid delays. Contractors need to manage deliveries accurately to ensure materials arrive on time and are available when needed.
How Contractors Use It:
Tracking and Scheduling: Contractors use logistics software or fleet management tools to schedule and track deliveries of materials to job sites. These systems help ensure that deliveries align with project timelines and that workers don’t experience downtime waiting for materials.
Coordinated Deliveries: By managing deliveries through a centralized system, contractors can schedule just-in-time deliveries (JIT), reducing material waste and optimizing space on the job site.
GPS and Tracking: Real-time GPS tracking for delivery vehicles allows contractors to monitor progress, adjust delivery schedules, and inform workers about the expected time of arrival for critical materials.
Best Practice: Use software like Procore, Buildertrend, or PlanGrid integrated with GPS tracking to manage real-time deliveries and ensure that teams get the materials they need when they need them.
- Dispatching Crews and Equipment
Challenge: Dispatching the right crew or equipment to the job site at the right time can be a complex task, especially if the project involves multiple teams working in different areas of the site or on different tasks.
How Contractors Use It:
Centralized Dispatching Systems: Contractors rely on centralized dispatching systems to assign workers and equipment to specific tasks. These systems help managers coordinate labor resources efficiently and ensure that crews are dispatched based on skill set, availability, and location on-site.
Mobile Communication: Many contractors use mobile apps that allow project managers to send work orders and dispatch instructions directly to crew members in the field. This reduces the need for back-and-forth communication via phone calls and helps to keep everyone updated in real-time.
Equipment Tracking: Dispatching tools can also help track the availability and usage of construction equipment, ensuring that machinery is available when needed and not tied up in areas where it’s not required.
Best Practice: Use an equipment management system or a jobsite management app like Raken or Fieldwire to help dispatch equipment and crews in real-time, improving productivity and reducing idle time.
- Managing Multiple Deliveries and Dispatches Simultaneously
Challenge: Large construction sites often have multiple suppliers, subcontractors, and teams that need to be coordinated. Managing simultaneous deliveries and dispatches can be overwhelming without the right systems in place.
How Contractors Use It:
Integrated Software Solutions: Contractors use integrated project management software to consolidate all deliveries, crew dispatches, and equipment needs into a single system. This helps prevent overlapping schedules or conflicts in timing, ensuring that everything flows smoothly.
Automated Scheduling: Advanced dispatching systems can automatically schedule deliveries based on pre-set rules, availability, and priorities. For example, if a delivery of concrete is expected to arrive early in the morning, the system will ensure that the necessary crew members and equipment are scheduled to begin work at the same time.
Notification Systems: Automated notifications alert project managers and workers when deliveries are on the way, reducing miscommunication and ensuring that everyone is prepared for the upcoming task.
Best Practice: Use integrated software like Jobber or CoConstruct that combines scheduling, dispatching, and delivery management into one platform, improving visibility and coordination on multi-faceted projects.
- Jobsite Material Storage and Staging
Challenge: Storing materials efficiently on a jobsite can be difficult, especially with frequent deliveries and limited space. Mismanagement of storage areas can lead to delays, misplaced items, or material damage.
How Contractors Use It:
Staging Areas: Contractors establish designated staging areas where materials can be delivered, sorted, and stored before they are needed. These areas are organized based on the construction schedule, so materials are staged in the right order for when they will be used.
Material Tracking: By tagging materials with barcodes or RFID labels, contractors can track materials as they are delivered and moved around the site. This helps prevent materials from getting lost or delayed due to poor organization.
Secure Storage: For high-value or sensitive materials (e.g., tools, equipment), contractors often use secure storage units or lockable areas to prevent theft and ensure that materials are in good condition.
Best Practice: Implement barcoding or RFID tracking systems to monitor the movement of materials on-site, ensuring they are properly staged and stored in the right locations.
- Handling Unexpected Delays or Changes
Challenge: Delays, weather conditions, and changes in the project scope are common issues in construction. Contractors need to adapt quickly to unexpected disruptions, whether it’s a late delivery or crew member absences.
How Contractors Use It:
Real-Time Communication: Jobsite delivery and dispatching systems allow contractors to communicate changes quickly and efficiently. If a delivery is delayed or a new task is added to the schedule, project managers can immediately notify crews and suppliers using mobile apps or automated messaging.
Contingency Planning: Contractors use dynamic scheduling systems that allow for flexible adjustments when issues arise. For example, if a delivery of materials is delayed, the system can automatically reschedule tasks to ensure that other crews stay productive while waiting.
Tracking Weather and Traffic: Some delivery and dispatching platforms integrate weather forecasts and traffic information, helping contractors anticipate issues and adjust schedules accordingly.
Best Practice: Use Procore or BIM 360 for real-time communication and automated rescheduling, helping the team stay flexible and responsive in the face of delays or changes.
- Improving Accountability and Documentation
Challenge: Keeping track of deliveries, equipment, and labor usage in a way that’s clear, accurate, and auditable can be difficult without proper documentation.
How Contractors Use It:
Digital Sign-Offs: Contractors use digital signature apps or mobile devices to confirm that deliveries have arrived and that materials have been received in good condition. This documentation can be instantly recorded in the system for future reference.
Delivery Receipts and Work Logs: Delivery personnel and crew members log all deliveries and work activities, providing timestamps and photos for documentation purposes. This allows contractors to track progress, verify tasks, and maintain a clear record of jobsite activities.
Reporting and Analytics: Many software platforms allow contractors to generate reports on material deliveries, equipment usage, and labor dispatching. These reports help project managers make data-driven decisions and track jobsite efficiency.
Best Practice: Use mobile project management tools like Fieldwire or Raken to capture delivery receipts, work logs, and other essential documentation directly from the field.
- Sustainability and Waste Reduction
Challenge: Construction projects generate significant amounts of waste, and poor logistics can lead to unnecessary excess materials being delivered.
How Contractors Use It:
Precise Scheduling: Contractors optimize delivery and dispatch schedules to ensure that materials are only delivered when needed, reducing storage and material waste on-site.
Material Planning and Forecasting: Contractors use jobsite delivery systems to better forecast material needs, ensuring they order only the required quantities and avoid overstocking.
Recycling and Disposal Management: Many contractors set up systems for recycling or proper disposal of materials that are not used on the jobsite, helping reduce the environmental impact of construction projects.
Best Practice: Use sustainable logistics software like EcoReal or integrate waste management strategies with your project management software to reduce material waste and increase efficiency.
Conclusion
Effective jobsite delivery and dispatching are essential for contractors to ensure that materials, equipment, and labor are aligned with the project schedule. By leveraging technology like GPS tracking, mobile communication apps, and integrated project management software, contractors can streamline operations, improve scheduling, reduce waste, and handle unexpected delays more efficiently.
