How Heavy Highway Crews Are Fighting App Fatigue — And Winning Jul 23 Written By Kami DiRocco Why Crews Are Tired of Tech That Doesn’t Work and What We’re Doing About ItYou show up ready to work. You’ve got your boots on, gloves in hand, and a crew counting on you to move. But before you even break ground, you’re already stuck.Not because of the job.Because of the apps.Plans are in one place. Stationing is in another. Notes go somewhere else. Photos must be uploaded only when you have a good enough signal. And by the time you’ve logged into everything, figured out what’s updated, and found the file you need, you’re already behind.And the truth is, nobody in the field has time for that.That’s not efficiency. That’s friction.That’s wasted time.That’s app fatigue.And in this line of work (paving, bridges, dirt, roads, live traffic, fast timelines) that kind of frustration doesn’t just slow things down. It wears people out. It prompts them to recall and record on paper. It kills trust. And when trust goes, the tech goes with it. What App Fatigue Looks LikeIt’s not just being annoyed with your phone. It’s a constant drain on the people trying to keep jobs moving. It manifests in small ways that can escalate into significant problems.Logging the same info in multiple apps because systems don’t talkStanding on a shoulder trying to upload a photo that won’t loadGetting texts from foremen because nobody knows which app to checkRe-entering a note when you finally have a signalForgetting which platform has what, so everyone just starts guessingYou’ve probably seen your crew do one of these today. Maybe you’ve done it too. At some point, people stop using the tools. Not because they don’t care, but because they’ve been burned too many times. Why This Hits Civil and Paving Crews Harder Than AnyoneYou’re not working inside. You’re not at a desk with Wi-Fi and time to click through tabs. You’re out in it. On the road. In the heat. In the rain. Wearing gloves. Next to live traffic. With a deadline that doesn’t care what your app’s doing.Most jobsite tools were built for people behind laptops. Not for crews laying asphalt at 6 AM. Not for inspectors snapping photos with one hand while waving traffic with the other. Not for supervisors working 12s who don’t have the time or patience for another new login.That disconnect, between how tools are designed and how real work is done, is what causes tech to fail.Not the people. The system. What It’s Costing the IndustryLet’s stop pretending this is just an inconvenience. The effects are real. Every extra click, delay, or missed note adds up. Lost Time Crews waste hours a week switching between tools, chasing down files, or waiting for uploads. Multiply that by your headcount. Now by the season. Rework and Delays A photo doesn’t get logged. A note goes to the wrong place. Plans don’t update. And the work gets redone or the issue gets missed. Office-Field tension The office thinks the crew is skipping steps. The crew thinks the office doesn’t get it. Everyone’s frustrated and nobody’s aligned. Wasted Money You’re paying for apps people don’t use, features nobody needs, and licenses that collect dust. Burnout Crews get tired of babysitting broken systems. They tune out, turn over, or stop engaging. It’s not the tech. It’s the tech stack. The Fix Isn’t More Apps. It’s a Smarter Approach.You don’t need another system. You need one that fits the work.Here’s what we’re seeing from the crews who’ve managed to cut through the noise and take control.Step 1: Start by Listening to the FieldBefore you add anything, find out what’s being used. Ask your supers, supervisors, and inspectors:What tool do you open first every day?What do you avoid using?What’s still happening on paper or in texts?Where are things getting duplicated or skipped?That conversation will tell you more than any dashboard. Want a better way to gut-check new tools before rollout? Read: [How to Avoid Buying Bad Construction Tech →] Step 2: Stop Stacking Tools. Start Replacing Them.Most teams are using 4 or 5 apps when they only need one. You don’t need separate platforms for:GPS stationingPlan viewingNotes and markupsPhotos and documentationCrew communicationEvery time your team switches apps to log a photo or check a location, that’s time lost. And it adds friction. And friction kills adoption.If it’s not helping, it’s in the way. 🛠️ Build Your Real-World Tool Stack Out on the job, switching between apps slows everything down. Drag in the tools your crew actually uses — then hit submit and see how much simpler life gets with OnStation. Plan Viewer Live Stationing Photo Log Note Tracker Issue Reporter 👇 Drop your current tools here See How Much OnStation Covers Step 3: Let the Crew Drive the DecisionHere’s what doesn’t work: picking a tool in the office, pushing it out, and hoping it sticks. Here’s what does:Let the crew test it, in the field, under pressureWatch how they use itAsk what makes sense and what gets skippedChoose based on what helps them, not what sounds good on paperAdoption isn’t about compliance. It’s about respect. Step 4: Pay Attention to Drop-OffJust because a tool is installed doesn’t mean it’s being used. Look out for these red flags:Notes getting entered at the end of the dayPhotos being texted instead of logged“I’ll update it later” has become the normPeople are still guessing what app to use for whatThat’s fatigue talking. And it’s a sign something needs to change. What Makes OnStation DifferentWe built OnStation because we saw what wasn’t working.Crews were being handed apps that slowed them down and pushed them back to memory and paper. So, we built something that fits the way civil and paving crews work; fast, mobile, and offline.Here’s what it gives you:Live GPS stationing that loads in the fieldOffline access to plan sheets, notes, photos, and markupA single, simple interface your whole team can useEverything tied to station locationsZero fluff. Zero waiting. Zero guessworkAnd here’s the part that matters most:It’s already set up.Your organization is loaded.Your project is stationed.Your crew is in the system.No training. No setup. No time wasted. ✅ Want to See Your Job in OnStation? We’ll walk you through your live project, already in the app, in 15 minutes. No prep, no configuration, no labor on your end.[Book a demo →] Final Word: This Isn’t About Apps. It’s About Trust.Your crew doesn’t hate tech, they hate being let down by tools that overpromise and underdeliver.They’ve been told, “This is the app that will fix everything” more times than they can count. Most of the time, it made things worse.That’s why app fatigue is everywhere. But that’s also why the right tool stands out fast.When something finally works (without crashing, delays, or guesswork), trust is restored. The job moves faster. Closeout gets cleaner. The crew doesn’t have to fight the system just to get work done.That’s what OnStation’s built for.No pitch. No fluff. Just one tool that works; already set up, running, already ready.Let’s get back to building. Kami DiRocco
How Heavy Highway Crews Are Fighting App Fatigue — And Winning Jul 23 Written By Kami DiRocco Why Crews Are Tired of Tech That Doesn’t Work and What We’re Doing About ItYou show up ready to work. You’ve got your boots on, gloves in hand, and a crew counting on you to move. But before you even break ground, you’re already stuck.Not because of the job.Because of the apps.Plans are in one place. Stationing is in another. Notes go somewhere else. Photos must be uploaded only when you have a good enough signal. And by the time you’ve logged into everything, figured out what’s updated, and found the file you need, you’re already behind.And the truth is, nobody in the field has time for that.That’s not efficiency. That’s friction.That’s wasted time.That’s app fatigue.And in this line of work (paving, bridges, dirt, roads, live traffic, fast timelines) that kind of frustration doesn’t just slow things down. It wears people out. It prompts them to recall and record on paper. It kills trust. And when trust goes, the tech goes with it. What App Fatigue Looks LikeIt’s not just being annoyed with your phone. It’s a constant drain on the people trying to keep jobs moving. It manifests in small ways that can escalate into significant problems.Logging the same info in multiple apps because systems don’t talkStanding on a shoulder trying to upload a photo that won’t loadGetting texts from foremen because nobody knows which app to checkRe-entering a note when you finally have a signalForgetting which platform has what, so everyone just starts guessingYou’ve probably seen your crew do one of these today. Maybe you’ve done it too. At some point, people stop using the tools. Not because they don’t care, but because they’ve been burned too many times. Why This Hits Civil and Paving Crews Harder Than AnyoneYou’re not working inside. You’re not at a desk with Wi-Fi and time to click through tabs. You’re out in it. On the road. In the heat. In the rain. Wearing gloves. Next to live traffic. With a deadline that doesn’t care what your app’s doing.Most jobsite tools were built for people behind laptops. Not for crews laying asphalt at 6 AM. Not for inspectors snapping photos with one hand while waving traffic with the other. Not for supervisors working 12s who don’t have the time or patience for another new login.That disconnect, between how tools are designed and how real work is done, is what causes tech to fail.Not the people. The system. What It’s Costing the IndustryLet’s stop pretending this is just an inconvenience. The effects are real. Every extra click, delay, or missed note adds up. Lost Time Crews waste hours a week switching between tools, chasing down files, or waiting for uploads. Multiply that by your headcount. Now by the season. Rework and Delays A photo doesn’t get logged. A note goes to the wrong place. Plans don’t update. And the work gets redone or the issue gets missed. Office-Field tension The office thinks the crew is skipping steps. The crew thinks the office doesn’t get it. Everyone’s frustrated and nobody’s aligned. Wasted Money You’re paying for apps people don’t use, features nobody needs, and licenses that collect dust. Burnout Crews get tired of babysitting broken systems. They tune out, turn over, or stop engaging. It’s not the tech. It’s the tech stack. The Fix Isn’t More Apps. It’s a Smarter Approach.You don’t need another system. You need one that fits the work.Here’s what we’re seeing from the crews who’ve managed to cut through the noise and take control.Step 1: Start by Listening to the FieldBefore you add anything, find out what’s being used. Ask your supers, supervisors, and inspectors:What tool do you open first every day?What do you avoid using?What’s still happening on paper or in texts?Where are things getting duplicated or skipped?That conversation will tell you more than any dashboard. Want a better way to gut-check new tools before rollout? Read: [How to Avoid Buying Bad Construction Tech →] Step 2: Stop Stacking Tools. Start Replacing Them.Most teams are using 4 or 5 apps when they only need one. You don’t need separate platforms for:GPS stationingPlan viewingNotes and markupsPhotos and documentationCrew communicationEvery time your team switches apps to log a photo or check a location, that’s time lost. And it adds friction. And friction kills adoption.If it’s not helping, it’s in the way. 🛠️ Build Your Real-World Tool Stack Out on the job, switching between apps slows everything down. Drag in the tools your crew actually uses — then hit submit and see how much simpler life gets with OnStation. Plan Viewer Live Stationing Photo Log Note Tracker Issue Reporter 👇 Drop your current tools here See How Much OnStation Covers Step 3: Let the Crew Drive the DecisionHere’s what doesn’t work: picking a tool in the office, pushing it out, and hoping it sticks. Here’s what does:Let the crew test it, in the field, under pressureWatch how they use itAsk what makes sense and what gets skippedChoose based on what helps them, not what sounds good on paperAdoption isn’t about compliance. It’s about respect. Step 4: Pay Attention to Drop-OffJust because a tool is installed doesn’t mean it’s being used. Look out for these red flags:Notes getting entered at the end of the dayPhotos being texted instead of logged“I’ll update it later” has become the normPeople are still guessing what app to use for whatThat’s fatigue talking. And it’s a sign something needs to change. What Makes OnStation DifferentWe built OnStation because we saw what wasn’t working.Crews were being handed apps that slowed them down and pushed them back to memory and paper. So, we built something that fits the way civil and paving crews work; fast, mobile, and offline.Here’s what it gives you:Live GPS stationing that loads in the fieldOffline access to plan sheets, notes, photos, and markupA single, simple interface your whole team can useEverything tied to station locationsZero fluff. Zero waiting. Zero guessworkAnd here’s the part that matters most:It’s already set up.Your organization is loaded.Your project is stationed.Your crew is in the system.No training. No setup. No time wasted. ✅ Want to See Your Job in OnStation? We’ll walk you through your live project, already in the app, in 15 minutes. No prep, no configuration, no labor on your end.[Book a demo →] Final Word: This Isn’t About Apps. It’s About Trust.Your crew doesn’t hate tech, they hate being let down by tools that overpromise and underdeliver.They’ve been told, “This is the app that will fix everything” more times than they can count. Most of the time, it made things worse.That’s why app fatigue is everywhere. But that’s also why the right tool stands out fast.When something finally works (without crashing, delays, or guesswork), trust is restored. The job moves faster. Closeout gets cleaner. The crew doesn’t have to fight the system just to get work done.That’s what OnStation’s built for.No pitch. No fluff. Just one tool that works; already set up, running, already ready.Let’s get back to building. Kami DiRocco