Performing Inventory & Managing Joint Use Assets

Utility poles are generally used by a variety of sources at once, from electrical to cable to telecommunications, and more. Each of these entities has a set of equipment and attachments that are installed on the same utility pole. With these diverse attachments comes a variety of regulations and permits for what can be installed, how and where on the pole.

In addition, there are liability issues surrounding this equipment. If one company, whether through malice or through oversight, installs an attachment they do not have a permit for, or installs a piece of equipment poorly, they should be held responsible if their actions causes something to go wrong.

For this reason, performing inventory on joint use assets is essential. Utility pole owners and attachers need to know which company is responsible for which pieces of equipment. However, there may be a number of companies and a great deal of equipment to keep track of, across many utility poles. As a pole owner, you need to be able to collect all of that data from each of the different locations and integrate it into a single database. How can you ensure that all the data is collected, processed, and stored accurately? It's all a matter of using the right tools.

Using Joint Use Inventory Software

With the right software platform, performing an inventory of joint use assets is much easier to deal with, and more meaningful down the road. Good inventory software will ensure you keep track of all your utility poles using GPS and mapping software. This way, you can log the precise location of each pole, what attachments are associated with each one, and what company is responsible for each attachment.

Exactly what data is collected for each asset is specified on a per-company basis who can alter the parameters at a moment's notice when business needs change or requirements are updated. This includes locations and identification (serial numbers, etc.) for each pole, as well as photos, project notes, task reminders, and more.

You can also monitor different utility poles and the various attachments on those poles. All of the data stored can be converted into usable information to help you plan a course of action. You can keep track of costs, schedule maintenance and repairs, manage inspection tests performed, and a host of other tasks.

With many software solutions, you can also hire field technicians to perform the asset inventory for your company. They locate and catalog all the utility poles that you own or are otherwise attached to, create records of which attachments are yours and which belong to others, and integrate all of that data with your existing records. So you have all the information you need at your fingertips, at a moment’s notice.

This type of data collection software works not just with utility poles, but for performing inventory on joint use assets of all types. You can use it for street lights, parking meters, storm drains, conduit, cell towers, and any other map-based physical assets. If you have a lot of locations and equipment on which you need data, a software solution is the most efficient way to keep track of it all.