Achieving Higher ROI: Does the Price of Digital Stationing Outweigh its Accuracy?
When buying any new software for your company, there are a handful of key elements you take into consideration. The top two factors that come into play for any company deliberating whether to transition to digital stationing are price and accuracy. At what cost are you willing to sacrifice accuracy? Are there times when ‘accurate enough’ is good enough? In this article, we are going to cover the accuracy and price of digital stationing along with discussing which teams will experience the highest ROI by using digital stationing software.
→ Digital Stationing Overview
There are many software systems out there that digitalize stationing. Some systems provide ‘live digital stationing’ while others provide digital project plans that reference the stationing in them. Either way, providing workers on the ground with the ability to locate themselves digitally, with either a phone or tablet, puts a powerful tool right in the palm of their hands.
→ Accuracy
Digital Stationing relies on the GPS (Global Positioning System) accuracy within your phone or tablet devices depending on the model and other factors. In other words, no matter what digital stationing software you buy, the accuracy will be the same when using your devices. Accuracy on these devices is usually around 3 to 5 feet sufficient for navigation but may not be precise enough for some use cases such as drilling, measurements, evaluations, etc.
Factors that affect GPS accuracy:
Satellite geometry: The position of the GPS satellites in space
Signal blockage: Obstacles that prevent the GPS signal from reaching the device
Atmospheric conditions: Weather conditions that can affect the signal
Receiver design: The quality of the device's GPS receiver
How to improve your accuracy on Apple and Android devices.
Common Accuracy Questions/Objections
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Yes, there are use cases where precision is needed. Digital stationing is never going to replace GPS rovers to layout a bridge deck. But in many cases, workers on heavy highway/civil engineering projects are currently referencing a physical station (stakes and/or spray paint) and are using devices (measuring wheels and tapes) to manually capture the location for reporting/documentation purposes. Not only does digital stationing provide the same level of precision as physical stationing, but it also eliminates a certain level of human error (inaccurate documentation, double data entry, etc.)
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To put it simply, the level of accuracy is about the same if the physical stationing is not affected. In most cases, you will get more accuracy with digital stationing due to its indispensable nature. For example, an earth moving machine might displace stationing stakes, but workers with a digital station are not affected.
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Alright, let's dive into the thrilling world of digital as-builts. Envision having a comprehensive digital blueprint of your construction project at your fingertips—this is what a Digital As-Built (DAB) offers. It’s a dynamic digital archive that captures every detail of your project's design and construction journey. From structured to semi-structured and unstructured data, DABs seamlessly bridge the gap between the design-construction Project Information Model and the asset management Asset Information Model. Learn more.
Note: GPS doesn’t require Wi-Fi but can improve the GPS accuracy. The key difference between Wi-Fi and GPS is that Wi-Fi is a technology used to connect devices to the internet wirelessly, while GPS is a satellite-based system that determines a device's precise geographic location on Earth. Some digital stationing software systems provide ‘offline’ modes for areas with no Wi-Fi.
→ Pricing
The average price of digital stationing is $51 per user/month. Think about it this way, it's like spending the same amount you would for your favorite streaming binge-fest. In most cases, the expense of digital stationing for a company will vary depending on three main variables; Team Size & System Functionality, Hardware Required, and Onboarding. Let's explore these key factors that will influence your investment.
Team Size & System Functionality
It’s no secret, the more crew members using digital stationing the more it will cost. The real question that needs to be answered is, ‘what is the total cost that will be on my invoice?’ The average price of digital stationing doesn’t give you the full picture of how much digital stationing will be for your crew. Let’s do some math to give you a better price estimate that’s closer to what you would expect on an invoice. (Note: This estimate doesn’t take into account discounts that are normally applied to purchases.)
Ready to unveil the magic number? ✨ Just answer the questions below to discover the monthly cost for each of your crew members!
Four factors we are going to consider are:
Crew members issued PPE 👷
These are the boots on the ground individuals doing the paving/inspection work. They need to know where to start and end their day, report what work has been done, and communicate if there are any issues happening. Crew members within this category will be priced at $48 per user/month.
Managers 👷♀️
These individuals manage projects, gather information/data for project closeout, and ultimately are the ones who make sure the company makes money rather than losing money. Managers will be priced at $91 per user/month.
Safety Enhancements 🛡️
While not every digital stationing platform comes with safety enhancements, some do, and we couldn't just sweep that under the rug when calculating the cost. Imagine this: as you embark on a project amidst bustling traffic, your exact location is seamlessly broadcasted to the navigation devices of passing travelers, ensuring they are always in the know. This safety functionality provided within some digital stationing systems provide Public Information (PI) which can be included in a projects Maintenance of Traffic Plans (MOT). The cost for safety enhancements falls around $4K per year/company.
Note: For a deeper dive into how digital stationing can boost your project's jobsite safety, swing by our Active Worksite page!
Integrations 🔄
Whether you want to streamline your documentation for project closeout, connect your project communication, or track project events and analytics, digital stationing platforms offer integrations to strengthen your digital project management capabilities. Each of these integrations vary in price, but for the purpose of this quote we priced them at $2k per year/company.
Hardware
Equipping your crew with digital stationing might seem like a hardware hurdle but fear not! Chances are, you've already got the gadgets in your team's toolkit, so there is no need to break the bank on shiny new toys. Digital Stationing operates as a Software as a Service (SaaS), a cutting-edge cloud-based solution that empowers users to seamlessly access applications online or through apps. Before you embark on your digital stationing journey, ensure you have the essential hardware in place, unless your team is already equipped with these vital tools.
Cell Phone
Tablet
Desktop
Onboarding
Time is money, and let's face it, nobody's thrilled about the idea of wrestling with a new system that eats up precious hours. If the tech is as user-friendly as a porcupine, it's going to gather dust because none of your team wants to use it. So, before you roll out the red carpet for the latest gadgetry, consider the internal costs and the time it takes to get everyone on board without losing your sanity.
Here's the silver lining: if you can navigate a smartphone—and let's be honest, who can't these days?—you're already halfway to mastering digital stationing software. Below, we explore the time and costs involved in integrating digital stationing into your operations.
System Setup – Approximately 4 days
Note: Some systems require less setup depending on the ability to mass upload users.Team Training – Approximately 3 hours
Project Uploading & Configuration
Manual (You engineer the project in the system yourself to make sure it is set up properly. Most systems require this like Google Earth.) – 6 hours/project
Software Provided (The software you choose configures your project in their system for you.) – 10 minutes/project
Common Pricing Questions/Objections
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As outlined in the DOT spec books, digital stationing may not meet the accuracy standards required, as it necessitates the use of a high-precision rover device for precise measurements. Nevertheless, digital stationing presents numerous advantages that can significantly optimize your company's operations, potentially saving both time and money, depending on your specific requirements. The following section will delve into these benefits in more detail.
So, Does the Price of Digital Stationing Outweigh its Accuracy?
While Digital Stationing is not be the perfect fit for every business, it’s a game-changer for those in the heavy highway and civil engineering sectors. The champions of ROI in this arena are undoubtedly DOTs, Prime Paving Contractors, and CEI Firms, who consistently reap the rewards of this innovative technology. Below are provided
DOT’s
Departments of Transportation that have adopted digital stationing have experienced numerous advantages. By eliminating the need to install and replace physical stationing on projects, many have seen a significant reduction in project costs, typically ranging from $2,500 to $8,000. Furthermore, digital stationing platforms enhance documentation processes through integrated systems, enabling more precise reporting and faster problem-solving. For any DOTs considering an investment in a cutting-edge location solution, the cost savings and improved documentation capabilities make digital stationing a valuable choice.
“It has simplified the process on getting the site information we need for our design projects.”
Paving Contractors
Consider a scenario involving a 7,000-foot paving project. If a contractor conducts density tests every 500 feet, the readings will typically remain consistent within a margin of plus or minus 3 feet. In such instances, the enhanced accuracy and efficiency provided by digital stationing significantly surpass the expenses associated with a QCQA technician manually using physical stakes for locating, measuring, and marking each test point. Empirical field testing has demonstrated that this approach can save approximately two hours per day for each technician involved.
Beyond testing, digital stationing significantly enhances the visibility of various utility lines at a worker's location. This improved visibility reduces the need to carry cumbersome paper plans and decipher surrounding elements. By offering project plan information directly at workers' fingertips in an easily navigable format, digital stationing boosts confidence, accelerates decision-making, and shortens project timelines. Ultimately, this translates to reduced costs for paving contractors.
“On numerous occasions, digital stationing has successfully prevented at least three potential utility strikes. Despite having clear dig tickets and potholes for all marked lines, the digital stationing software revealed the presence of unmarked fiber and power lines in the area, requiring us to halt in digging until proper location was confirmed. The process of accessing digital stationing and reviewing the utility tabs to assess the surroundings takes merely a minute. While not every utility may be in your digital stationing, there is potential for comprehensive inclusion if utility companies choose to safeguard their underground investments.”
CEI Firms
Digital stationing offers substantial savings for CEI firms that opt for a system seamlessly integrating with the gauges currently employed in the field. Traditionally, many firms pinpoint the location, manually record each density test, and then upload the test data at the end of the day into a reporting database for later analysis. On extensive paving projects, this can involve tens or even hundreds of density data points. By streamlining the data entry process, digital stationing integration is anticipated to reduce technical test time by up to two-thirds, resulting in significant cost savings and crucial time efficiencies in this vital testing process.
On average, digital stationing saves CEI Firms about $18K, per technician.
“Our density technicians were putting like 16 hours a day for weeks at a time. It was burning our guys out. We now use digital stationing to take a couple hours off their day by allowing them to enter data as we go.”