ContactData Collection on the Job Site
By Construction News Staff
Construction News 11/01/04
AASHTO Trns•port SiteManager is quickly becoming a valuable tool for DOTs across the country. The software is used to manage construction and materials through all stages of a job, from beginning of construction to completion, and has been implemented, or is in the process of being evaluated in every state of Construction News' territory. AASHTO is now taking this product to the next stage of ease and efficiency in the field with SitePad, an application that is designed specifically for hand-held devices such as the Pocket PC or Palm.
Data, such as material progress for the prime contractor and subcontractors, can be entered in SitePad as a Daily Work Report (DWR), which tracks progress in the field. The data are then transferred to and from SitePad and SiteManager between the handheld device and the host computer by wireless networking, or USB port. SitePad is currently being used in Alabama, Florida and Missouri and is being evaluated in other states, including Tennessee and Arkansas.
Using a handheld device instead of a laptop has its advantages on the job site. "A handheld device can drop unit costs and increase portability," says Kevin Thornton, assistant resident engineer, Hot Springs, Ark. "Laptops are good, but it's hard to walk up and down the slopes carrying them. With a handheld device, that's possible." Though Thornton says there are no immediate plans in Arkansas to implement SitePad in the field, he expects it will be used in the future.