• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Supplier Directory
  • SCB YouTube
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Logout
  • My Profile
  • LOGISTICS
    • Air Cargo
    • All Logistics
    • Express/Small Shipments
    • Facility Location Planning
    • Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
    • Global Gateways
    • Global Logistics
    • Last Mile Delivery
    • Logistics Outsourcing
    • LTL/Truckload Services
    • Ocean Transportation
    • Rail & Intermodal
    • Reverse Logistics
    • Service Parts Management
    • Transportation & Distribution
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • All Technology
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud & On-Demand Systems
    • Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
    • ERP & Enterprise Systems
    • Forecasting & Demand Planning
    • Global Trade Management
    • Inventory Planning/ Optimization
    • Product Lifecycle Management
    • Sales & Operations Planning
    • SC Finance & Revenue Management
    • SC Planning & Optimization
    • Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
    • Supply Chain Visibility
    • Transportation Management
  • GENERAL SCM
    • Business Strategy Alignment
    • Education & Professional Development
    • Global Supply Chain Management
    • Global Trade & Economics
    • HR & Labor Management
    • Quality & Metrics
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • SC Security & Risk Mgmt
    • Supply Chains in Crisis
    • Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility
  • WAREHOUSING
    • All Warehouse Services
    • Conveyors & Sortation
    • Lift Trucks & AGVs
    • Order Fulfillment
    • Packaging
    • RFID, Barcode, Mobility & Voice
    • Robotics
    • Warehouse Management Systems
  • INDUSTRIES
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • Chemicals & Energy
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • E-Commerce/Omni-Channel
    • Food & Beverage
    • Healthcare
    • High-Tech/Electronics
    • Industrial Manufacturing
    • Pharmaceutical/Biotech
    • Retail
  • THINK TANK
  • WEBINARS
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
    • Webinar Library
  • PODCASTS
  • VIDEOS
  • WHITEPAPERS
Home » How E-Construction Can Improve U.S. Transportation

How E-Construction Can Improve U.S. Transportation

How E-Construction Can Improve U.S. Transportation
May 10, 2019
Lori Allen, SCB Contributor

In a list of U.S. industries that have automated business processes, the construction industry is at the bottom. 

In order to sustain growth, contractors, suppliers and logistics providers need to undergo a transformation, which involves digitizing their supply chains through a connected network and automated processes. The old ways of working no longer lead to success. Today’s climate and culture requires having the ability to make smarter, faster decisions.

By digitizing construction business processes, these benefits can be realized:

  • Increased transparency across the construction supply chain so that all players know what is going on at all times
  • Reduced time collecting information from the field; reduced errors and admin time by eliminating the need to re-key information into office systems
  • Real-time access to data with E-Ticketing applications speeds documentation processing and payment processing
  • Improved communications
  • Increased collaboration and sharing of information

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued an initiative in 2017 to address the problem called “Every Day Counts: Innovation Initiative.” The plan is to combine e-construction with so-called Construction Partnering (aka E-C&P) in an effort to move the industry forward. E-C&P calls for training and aid for decision-makers and other key stakeholders, such as State DOTs, contractors and consultants.

E-construction replaces paper with electronic processes that improve workflow, increase transparency, improve safety, enhance quality, and save time and money. One primary goal is to accelerate adoption (change management and ROI) to create a new norm in construction-related project management, communication, and workflows. E-construction tools provide a single repository of critical documentation — one single version of the truth — for all stakeholders to work with. For example, contractors in the field can use a mobile device to electronically pull up and check an order they have placed with a supplier, create approvals, track deliveries, and digitally sign off on documents.

Construction Partnering is a project management practice where transportation agencies, contractors and others create a team relationship built on trust in order to reduce risk and help achieve mutually beneficial goals and objectives. With better communication and collaboration, businesses and agencies will be able to proactively resolve issues, reduce claims and litigation, minimize waste, and meet project budgets and deadlines.

Combining e-construction tools and construction partnering practices ensures that team members are equipped with both the tools and the information needed to identify and resolve project issues proactively. The combination also improves efficiencies in project management and delivery, resulting in reduced construction time, optimized costs, and higher quality projects. 

The Outlook

The construction industry invests less in IT annually than most other industries. In the future, these businesses and organizations will have to invest more in technology systems and solutions and eliminate manual, paper-based processes. The industry will also have to better integrate systems using modern tools like APIs and web services to enable automated processing from beginning to end with little or no human intervention. 

Lori Allen is solutions marketing manager for Command Alkon.

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED VIDEOS

Logistics Transportation & Distribution Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain) Transportation Management Supply Chain Visibility Technology
KEYWORDS Big Data/IOT Supply Chain Visibility Transportation & Distribution Transportation Management
  • Related Articles

    Q&A | How Time-Slot Booking Can Improve Order Fulfillment

    How Can I Improve Cross-Border Shipping Visibility?

    Report: Smart Technology Can Ease Congestion, Improve Transportation Options and Strengthen Global Competitiveness

  • Related Directories

    Kuebix

Lori Allen, SCB Contributor

More from this author

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter!

Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.

Popular Stories

  • A MAN IN A SUIT SHAKES HANDS WITH A WOMAN IN A HARD HAT, NEXT TO A STACK OF CONTAINERS

    Three Procurement Technology Evolutions for 2023

    Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
  • DOCUMENTS BEARING THE INSIGNIA OF US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION LIE ON A TABLE

    New CBP Regs Call for Greater Diligence by Brokers in Reporting Security Breaches

    Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
  • The blank stare of a child's eye who is standing behind what appears to be a wooden frame

    The Alarming Continued Rise of Modern Slavery in Supply Chains: How Procurement Can Help Reverse the Trend

    Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
  • A GROUP OF WORKERS RANGED IN AN OFFICE, OF DIVERSE RACE, GENDER, AGE AND PHYSICAL ABILITY

    Podcast | The Supply Chain Workforce of the Future Is Already Here

    HR & Labor Management
  • A WORKER IN A WAREHOUSE, SUPERIMPOSED WITH GRAPHICS SHOWING SUPPLY NETWORK

    Enabling Intelligent Visibility With Supply Chain Analytics

    Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)

Digital Edition

Scb nov 2022 sm

2022 Supply Chain Innovator of the Year

VIEW THE LATEST ISSUE

Case Studies

  • New Revenue for Cloud-Based TMS that Embeds Orderful’s Modern EDI Platform

  • Convenience Store Client Maximizes Profit and Improves Customer Service

  • A Digitally Native Footwear Brand Finds Rapid Fulfillment

  • Expanding Apparel Brand Scales Seamlessly with E-Commerce Technology

  • How a Global LSP Scaled its Security Program and Won More Business

Visit Our Sponsors

Orderful Yang Ming Alithya
Barcoding Blue Yonder BNSF Logistics
CoEnterprise Data Capture Deposco
E2open GAINSystems Generix
Geodis GEP GreyOrange
Here Honeywell Intelligrated IFM
Infor Inmar Keelvar
Kinaxis Korber Lean Solutions Group 2H
Liberty SBF Locus Robotics Logility
LogistiVIEW Lucas Systems MCA Connect
MPO Nvidia Old Dominion
OpenText ORTEC Overhaul
Parsyl PMMI QIMA
Redwood Logistics Ryder E-commerce by Whiplash Saddle Creek Logistics
Schneider Dedicated Setlog Holding AG Ship4WD
Shipwell Tecsys TGW Systems
Thomson Reuters Tive Trailer Bridge
Vecna Robotics Verity
Verusen
  • More From SCB
    • Featured Content
    • Video Library
    • Think Tank Blog
    • SupplyChainBrain Podcast
    • Whitepapers
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
  • Digital Offerings
    • Digital Issue
    • Subscribe
    • Manage Your Subscription
    • Newsletters
  • Resources
    • Events Calendar
    • SCB's Great Supply Chain Partners
    • Supplier Directory
    • Case Study Showcase
    • Supply Chain Innovation Awards
    • 100 Great Partners Form
  • SCB Corporate
    • Advertise on SCB.COM
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Data Sharing Opt-Out

All content copyright ©2023 Keller International Publishing Corp All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Keller International Publishing Corp

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing