Dispatching Crews
When we set the schedule with a customer we request they be available when the crews show up to conduct an initial walk-through with the crew chief to determine fence line, corners and post locations. The customer needs to know what time the crew will arrive at the job site.
Since the yard and shop are typically closed when the crews get back from a job, the first order of business for the yard and shop crews in the early morning is to unload any materials that are still on the crews trucks from the day before.
The load for the day is then loaded onto the crews’ respective trucks and the load is strapped down and secured. All of the required tools necessary to complete the day’s work order are also loaded onto the trucks. These are the items not already part of the general truck inventory like a jack hammer, concrete saw, bobcat with post-hole auger or other specialty tools and equipment.
When the crew men arrive at the shop around 7:30 in the morning, there is a job briefing with the installation coordinator and supervisors so that the crews know of any unique aspects of the job or special arrangements or work orders made with the customer. The trucks are then re-inspected and inventoried by the crew chief and crews to ensure all the necessary materials and equipment needed for day are on the truck. This all takes about 45 minutes to complete.
After leaving the yard the trucks are gassed up at a local station and then the crews are off to their project sites.
Once on the road there are some determining factors for the travel time to any job site. Our dispatch and yard are currently out of Provo at 543 East 600 South and the crews are leaving around 8:15 AM.
Most any job in the Salt Lake County area takes about 45 minutes to an hour travel time. This is depending on the traffic conditions or weather conditions which could extend the travel time. Traffic accidents and traffic jams will obviously cost the crew some addition time to get to a project. It has happened in the past, as with all contractors, that UHP will arbitrarily pull over a commercial vehicle that is loaded down with construction materials to check for safety issues. This can cost a crew up to an hour of time depending on the nature of the stop.
Going farther north into North Salt Lake, Davis or Weber County, or up into Wasatch and Summit counties will obviously take more time.
When the installation coordinator arranges with the customer the time that the crews will arrive at the job site it is with the understanding and discussion that all arranged times may vary depending upon many factors and that crews arriving to a project site are sometimes subjected to unforeseen contingencies.
