E-Ticketing in Highway Construction: Reasons for Delayed Implementation

The evolution of technology and the use of mobile devices for performing daily operations has benefited the construction industry. E-Ticketing can automate most administrative processes in highway construction, provide valuable insights into daily operations, and increase inspector safety. Many state departments of transportation (DOTs) have conducted pilot testing of the technology and have opted not to install or acquire it for a variety of reasons, and a few have discontinued their pilot studies. Thus, the goal of this research is to identify and pinpoint the misconceptions surrounding the implementation of e-Ticketing platform and to explore ways to make it attractive to more users. To achieve this, an extensive literature review was conducted of studies that investigated the implementation of technology. Then, semi-structured interviews were held with 13 individuals who are employed in the highway construction industry. Inductive thematic analysis of the interview transcripts revealed two primary causes for the delays in implementing the technology: (1) a misunderstanding resulting from the limited implementation of the platform during COVID-19; and (2) a high initial investment cost for state DOTs because of overlapping fleet management functionalities. This research will help DOT decision-makers and engineers in re-define the functionalities of the e-Ticketing platform, adopt regulations and standards, minimize project costs, provide initial funding, performing pilot testing, and enhance inspector safety.