Construction Timelines: The Hidden Force Behind Freight Movement
In the age of development, we are seeing new homes, stores, restaurants, and amusement parks pop up everywhere! The rise in new builds means a rise in construction needs, which in turn leads to tighter deadlines and a greater demand for equipment and materials to be moved. Construction deadlines are what drive the world forward, but what is impacted by the ever-growing construction industry?
Construction Deadlines and Their Impact
For anyone who has been on a job site, it is busy and bustling, with heavy equipment. dusty air and that odd smell in the work trucks no one wants to talk about. Beyond the little details, you may overlook the large truck and trailer delivering pallets and bundles of materials or the removable gooseneck trailer unloading equipment. Those trucks are one piece of an overcomplicated chess match—freight. One piece, however, can overthrow the whole board.
Let’s run a scenario: you are operating a construction site and have a tight deadline. You’re on your job; the day is half over, and you have already spent half the morning yelling at the new guy to get you a left-handed socket. You know that you have a delivery this afternoon; it’s on time! Time to unload, and you start your project. GREAT! We have completed the game, set, and match.
Now let’s try that again, but let’s add in a few issues—
Let’s run a scenario: you are operating a construction site and have a tight deadline. You’re on your job; the day is half over, and you have already spent half the morning yelling at the new guy to get you a left-handed socket. You know that you have a delivery this afternoon, but have been notified that it is now delayed. You’re calling carriers for ETA and find out that there isn’t one. Now you’re calling the crew for tomorrow to reschedule as you won’t have the material in time, and you’re out a day of work and hours of labor, and now you must rework your schedule to meet your deadline. (Hoping that you can reschedule delivery ASAP).
Now that we have gone through that small exercise, you can understand why out of the many projects we see day to day, less than 10% are completed on time or within the time frame established when originally planned. This is not due to lack of trying, but to outside sources that aren’t necessarily always taken into consideration. We know as site workers how frustrating it was that our shipment was delayed, but who else does it affect?
Beyond the Truck
A ripple effect has started- the impact of one delayed shipment has now caused the schedule for that truck to be delayed or possibly rerouted to other trucks to not further delays in deliveries. Beyond truck scheduling, it can lead to scheduling issues with drivers who may have additional loads or routes that they must now work out.
From there, it ripples to the staff, causing “idle labor burden”, the cost of labor that is incurred by staff having to sit “idly” as they wait for new deliveries or having to reschedule staff for new delivery dates. In many cases, business owners will often pay twice for labor on a job site that experiences a delay, causing a loss in labor productivity.
Beyond labor delays or lost shipments, last-minute outsourcing can lead to further complications, such as product/material limitations, often causing suppliers to sacrifice quality to meet deadlines. This again will ripple down to consumers who will be the ones using these products or services.
Financially, the builders or contractors may be hit with heavy penalties or fines, or even lost revenue opportunities. In some cases, the contractor could face legal consequences due to delays and issues beyond their control. With constructions never-ending and trucks always moving, we need to be diligent to prepare for any wrenches thrown into the engine that we can prevent or alleviate immediately.
Combatting the Delays
Good news! With careful planning and consideration, many common freight or construction delays can be avoided. Other ways developers can prevent delays or issues would be by ordering early and scheduling deliveries in advance.
Have backup suppliers, a company or team that, in a tight spot, would be able to step in and provide those items/services. It has also been recommended that the site embrace phasing to get materials and equipment as you need them to keep the site clean and clear. Keeping the job site neat and organized will not only allow drivers to get in and out in a timely manner but will also allow construction workers to get a visual inventory of what is on the site.
Finally, with real-time tracking provided by the freight broker or carrier helps verify that deliveries are on track and plan for any changes in real time. Still taking into consideration all of the other industries impacted by construction, so is the freight industry, as we come and go, supplying materials, products, and services across the world.
Conclusion
Much of the Freight industry’s movements are directly influenced by construction deadlines, which puts pressure on timely deliveries. One delayed truck has the potential to halt production, resulting in idle labor expenses, and has a ripple effect on contractors, suppliers, and customers. When freight misses important windows, there are frequently financial penalties and lost revenue.
With proactive planning, phased deliveries, backup suppliers, and real‑time tracking, many delays can be avoided. Freight remains the backbone of construction, powering projects and keeping timelines on track.
