Utilization and implementation of the e-ticketing technology to electronically track the delivery of construction materials

Traditional paper-based ticketing systems that are used to track trucks loaded with construction materials have some major issues, such as theft, extended travel time, risk of injury while collecting tickets, illegible records due to mutilated tickets, etc. The construction industry would profit from taking advantage of the rapid advancements of data technology and the internet that have occurred within recent years. Employing digital technologies to improve their productivity, i.e., implementing electronic tickets or e-tickets instead of paper-based tickets, could make a noticeable difference in construction material delivery. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the concept of e-tickets from different perspectives, including the construction field, and discuss the current applications of this technology. This paper also scrutinizes the benefits of and barriers to implementing e-ticketing for an efficient inspection approach to construction material delivery. For this purpose, scholarly articles, along with articles from departments of transportation (DOTs) and tutorial websites, were studied. It was observed that several highway projects and ready-mix concrete companies from North American countries are using or are willing to use e-tickets in their projects. Major challenges in adopting this process are confusion regarding the type of software to use, reluctance to adopt new technologies over the company legacy, unwillingness of field personnel to use e-tickets due to lack of adequate technical knowledge, etc. Major benefits of e-tickets are cost reduction, greater transparency, and productivity improvement. This paper will assist service providers who intend to implement e-ticketing to successfully adopt this service to their system.