Client's Testimonial

"Managing fuel for equipment across 20 different job sites was our biggest headache. Developers.dev built a rugged, reliable platform that our on-site supervisors and drivers actually love to use. Their focus on security and process, being SOC 2 and CMMI 5 certified, gave our executive team the confidence to move forward."

Sarah Jenkins, Fleet Manager, Granite Construction Group

Client Overview

Granite Construction Group is a large, multi-state construction firm that operates heavy machinery across dozens of active job sites. Their biggest operational bottleneck was refueling. Equipment downtime due to empty fuel tanks was common, and the process of dispatching third-party fuel trucks was manual, inefficient, and impossible to track accurately, leading to project delays and significant cost overruns.

Problem

Granite lacked a centralized system to manage and schedule fuel deliveries to their job sites. Site supervisors would call in fuel requests reactively, leading to expensive emergency deliveries, equipment downtime, and a complete inability to track or forecast fuel consumption accurately.

Key Challenges

Unpredictable Environments:

The solution needed to work in remote locations with potentially poor connectivity.

Diverse Asset Types:

The system had to manage fuel requests for everything from excavators and cranes to generators.

Reactive vs. Proactive:

The goal was to shift from a reactive, emergency-based model to a scheduled, proactive one.

User Adoption:

The app had to be extremely simple for on-site personnel who were not tech-savvy.

Our Solution

Our Embedded-Systems / IoT Edge Pod collaborated with a Python Data-Engineering Pod to devise a comprehensive, IoT-enabled solution. The system was designed for resilience and simplicity, focusing on automating the fuel request process.

📡 IoT Fuel Sensors

We sourced and integrated rugged, cellular-connected IoT sensors that were installed on the fuel tanks of critical machinery. These sensors reported fuel levels every hour.

🗺️ Centralized Management Platform

A web application for the fleet manager (Sarah) to view the fuel level of every piece of equipment on a map, receive low-fuel alerts, and manage dispatch schedules.

📱 Supervisor Mobile App

A simple offline-first mobile app for site supervisors to manually request fuel for equipment without sensors and to digitally confirm receipt of deliveries.

🔮 Predictive Alert System

A Python-based backend service that analyzed fuel consumption rates and would automatically generate a fuel request when a tank was predicted to hit 25% capacity within the next 24 hours.

Implementation and Execution

Pilot Program & Sensor Testing

A pilot program was initiated on 3 job sites with 20 pieces of equipment to test sensor durability and connectivity.

Offline-First Mobile App Design

The mobile app was designed with large buttons and a minimal interface for ease of use, with offline capabilities to handle poor signal areas.

Microsoft Azure Backend

The backend was built on Microsoft Azure, utilizing IoT Hub for device management and Azure Functions for data processing.

Automated Fuel Supplier API

We worked with Granite's fuel supplier to create an API for automated dispatching, completely removing manual phone calls.

Company-Wide Rollout

The entire system was developed and rolled out company-wide over a 7-month period.

Efficient User Training

Training for site supervisors was completed in under 30 minutes per group due to the app's simplicity.

Positive Outcome

📉 95% Reduction in Fuel-Related Downtime

Proactive, automated alerts and scheduling virtually eliminated instances of equipment running out of fuel.

💰 30% Lower Fuel Costs

Bulk, scheduled deliveries were cheaper than last-minute emergency calls, and better data allowed for more efficient purchasing.

👁️ Complete Fuel Inventory Visibility

The fleet manager had a real-time, company-wide view of all fuel assets for the first time.

⏱️ Improved Project Timelines

By eliminating a key source of delay, construction projects were completed more predictably.

Why Choose Us

⚙️ IoT & Embedded Systems Expertise

Possessed the specialized skills to create a hardware-integrated solution.

🏗️ Rugged, Offline-First App Design

Understood the realities of the construction environment.

📊 Data Engineering & Predictive Analytics

Built an intelligent system, not just a logging tool.

🔒 CMMI 5 & SOC 2 Compliance

Provided the process and security assurance needed for an enterprise client.

🤝 Vendor API Integration

Successfully automated the communication with their fuel supplier.

🧪 Phased, Pilot-Based Rollout

Mitigated risk by proving the concept before a full-scale deployment.

🎯 Focus on User Adoption

Prioritized simplicity to ensure the tool was actually used in the field.

✨ Custom Solution, Not Off-the-Shelf

Designed a system tailored to their unique asset types and workflow.

✅ End-to-End Management

Handled everything from hardware sourcing and integration to cloud deployment and support.

Conclusion

Granite Construction Group's partnership with Developers.dev transformed their chaotic fueling process into a key operational strength. By combining rugged IoT hardware with intelligent software, we delivered a solution that provided immediate cost savings and established a new standard of efficiency for their projects.

Centralized Fuel Management Platform Eliminates Downtime for a Leading Construction Firm

Industry Construction