How Aldridge Electric Used Clearstory to Streamline T&M Tag and Change Order Processes on the OC Streetcar Project

A New Way to Manage Out-of-Scope Work

"I don’t know why we didn’t start earlier. This would have been perfect in the beginning of the job." That’s how Derek Strickland, project manager at Aldridge Electric, describes the impact of Clearstory on how his team has streamlined Change Order and T&M Ticket processes on the OC Streetcar project in Santa Ana, California.

After dealing with paper tickets, slow Change Order approval cycles, and frustrating back-and-forth negotiations, Aldridge–one of the top heavy civil and electrical contractors in the country–made the switch to Clearstory’s fully digital, automated system that has completely changed the way they manage out-of-scope work.

Before adopting Clearstory, Aldridge’s process was cumbersome, time-consuming, and prone to bottlenecks. Managing hundreds of T&M Tickets per month required an endless cycle of paper pushing, ticket scanning, emailing, and chasing signatures. Field crews would hand write tickets and pass them along for approval, but delays were common, and some tickets would never make it back to the home office.

“We were back in the old age, scanning copies before they were signed, sending them out, handing off physical copies—then trying to track them down after they got lost,” Strickland says. “A lot of times, we’d get tickets rejected on merit, and we’d have to go back and compile the documentation to justify that yes, this was extra work.”

Fast Field Adoption with Faster Approvals and Significant Savings in Lost Revenue

Aldridge needed a better way to capture, organize, and submit their Change Orders, and that’s when Strickland first discovered Clearstory.

Purpose-built to help Specialty Contractors reduce risk and get paid faster on out of contract work, Clearstory’s core product is a shareable, cloud-based Change Order Log that creates instant alignment between stakeholders with powerful tools like a mobile app for digital T&M Tags, built-in Change Order templates, instant pricing, and more.

Adopting new construction technology isn’t always easy, but for Aldridge, the transition to Clearstory was shockingly smooth.

“Before, our field guys would struggle with writing tickets so much that we would often have the home office do it all,” Strickland says. But with Clearstory’s intuitive mobile interface, foremen quickly got on board.

“Once we showed them how easy it was—just snap a photo, enter the details, and send it—they were in,” explains Strickland, adding that even field teams who were skeptical about technology adopted Clearstory quickly, thanks to the ridiculously easy-to-use app. “My favorite thing about Clearstory is the user interface. It was easy to roll out, even to guys who don’t have much experience with technology.”

Since implementing Clearstory, Aldridge has transformed the way they manage Change Orders and T&M Ticket processes on the OC Streetcar project, eliminating hours of manual effort and reducing disputes. The results speak for themselves:

• 4–8 hours saved per week on ticket processing and approvals
  
• Significant reduction in lost revenue due to better tracking of work performed
  
• Faster approvals and better alignment with the GC and owner teams

Now, instead of scrambling to track down paperwork, Aldridge has full transparency into every Change Order and T&M Ticket in real time. “I can see exactly when an inspector views a ticket. If they haven’t signed, I can send a message right then and there. They can’t say they never got it, because we have the record,” Strickland says.

For the first time, Aldridge has a clear audit trail of all work performed, reducing risk and strengthening their position in negotiations.

“With Clearstory, everything is housed in one spot. The field guys don’t have to write tickets by hand anymore—it’s just a click of a button. It’s a game-changer.”

Derek Strickland

Project Manager, Aldridge Electric

Perhaps most importantly, Clearstory has improved accountability for all project stakeholders. “Now, no one can say they didn’t witness the work. No one can claim they didn’t see the ticket,” Strickland says. Even GCs and project owners, who were initially resistant to change, have come to appreciate the benefits.

“At first, they wanted to stick to their old process. But once we walked them through how easy it is, they accepted it with open arms,” Strickland says, explaining that having a single, shared source of truth has eliminated disputes and streamlined approvals, helping Aldridge get paid faster.

For project managers looking to modernize their workflows, Strickland has a simple recommendation: “With Clearstory, everything is housed in one spot. The field guys don’t have to write tickets by hand anymore—it’s just a click of a button. It’s a game-changer,” he says, emphasizing the accountability and efficiency Clearstory provides: “You send the ticket, they see it. You follow up, and they can’t ignore it. Everything is documented.”

And as the OC Streetcar project speeds towards close-out, Strickland sums up the Aldridge team’s experience with Clearstory the best: “It’s worth its weight in gold.”

About the Project

Planned for completion in late December 2025, the nearly $600 million OC Streetcar project will connect the cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove with 180-passenger capacity streetcars making 16 stops along a 4-plus mile electrified track.