Abuse of the One-Call??

[HPMadness]

Had a contractor call in some Short Notices for installing a fiber that should be a project. Ticket calls for Over 19,000 Ft. (almost 4 miles) due in 1 day. I drove length of ticket and my odometer said it was actually just over 5 miles! Contractor stated they are having 2 crews on-site with each crew starting at opposite ends and meeting in the middle. I hate out-of-state cowboys that try to abuse the system like we have nothing else going on and we can dedicate 3 or 4 personel to just them! HA! I hope they damage something big before we can get to where they are working.

Anyone else having issues like this?

[locatethis]

All too often. And your right, It always comes from the out of state contractors that come to town that take a job and want it done quick!

[FiosKing]

that would not happen here, that contractor would get a nice call and fine from the BPU along with a non stop harrasment on purpose by all the locating firms he would quickly cancel that request

[FiosKing]

teach them a lesson, throw down some "ghost" marks

Had a contractor call in some Short Notices for installing a fiber that should be a project. Ticket calls for Over 19,000 Ft. (almost 4 miles) due in 1 day. I drove length of ticket and my odometer said it was actually just over 5 miles! Contractor stated they are having 2 crews on-site with each crew starting at opposite ends and meeting in the middle. I hate out-of-state cowboys that try to abuse the system like we have nothing else going on and we can dedicate 3 or 4 personel to just them! HA! I hope they damage something big before we can get to where they are working.

Anyone else having issues like this?

[big boots mcghee]

that would not happen here, that contractor would get a nice call and fine from the BPU along with a non stop harrasment on purpose by all the locating firms he would quickly cancel that request

You don't know how jealous I am that you have this option. These guys would be my best friend.

[TheCableVine]

Inform him of everything that is there, and then let him know it won't be completed on time. If your State is like mine, then they are responsible if they hit something. Our State says that if you dig without marks, knowing there are utilities in the ground, then you are responsible for the damages.

[HPMadness]

Ended up having it being 2 different contractors from out of state doing the same "project that is not a project." By the end of the day, we had 6 guys out there and have almost 3/4 of that ticket done. (Taking 12 1/2hrs) One of those contractors was trying to mark out all utilities himself so that he could "keep going" and stated that if they hit anything where there were no marks, then he would make sure we got hit with the damages. His opinion is "no marks means no utilities" even though they have measurement prints from AT&T for what is in that area. To make matters worse, most of where they are running the fiber is 35' off the road within 2' of 2 cables, and most of the way is through a ravine filled with briar patches, downed trees, 3 creeks, gopher, muskrat, fox, and rabbit holes hidden by chest high brush, and a partridge in a pear tree....

Can't wait to get this nightmare over with!

[UULC]

I hate to go off thread but I have the total oppisite here. I have contractors that are in state that have been calling in the same tickets for the last four months. They are installing FOC through out the city. They are SLOWLY getting too the areas. I get updates every two weeks. I will go out and remark and take my pictures. I want to be sure I have the pictures so if they do hit something I am covered.

As for short notice I call the contractor and tell them there is fiber in the ground and I do not have time to get there or I get the ticket the next day and they finished the work. We have two days to mark the ticket even if it is a short notice.

[HPMadness]

As for short notice I call the contractor and tell them there is fiber in the ground and I do not have time to get there or I get the ticket the next day and they finished the work. We have two days to mark the ticket even if it is a short notice.

Here, we still have 3 days to mark for short notices. Contractors will call in short notice for the next morning when they call in ticket at 6pm and then call at 9am for restake all utilities due to marks removed. They really think that we will get there within 2 hours to mark if they do that. I will call and tell them "NO I will not show up today, and might not show up the next day to mark. You will have to wait to see if marked on 3rd day." That pisses them off, but I have more important tickets to do than a short notice for landscaping or planting shrubs.

[big boots mcghee]

Inform him of everything that is there, and then let him know it won't be completed on time. If your State is like mine, then they are responsible if they hit something. Our State says that if you dig without marks, knowing there are utilities in the ground, then you are responsible for the damages.

My state has the same thing written in the one call laws & rules, but good luck using that when a customer is looking for answers and wanting the bill to get paid.

[Turk182]

Have you ever seen a bore crew spend four days potholing? I would make it so that this crew did, that's what I did to the last bore crew that pissed me off.

[Bad Robot]

This gets worse every year because every year there are less folks willing/ able to slow or stop the abuse. And the economy being in the tank doesn't help as well. In the Midwest we have seen a rash of gomer outfits heading north to grab any and all bore work. And once they are off and running they will lie, cheat and steal to get to the big payday. When the big boys ( ATT, ComEd, We Energies, Nicor etc.) did their own work they often shut these guys down flat, if they even showed their faces around here. Now you routinely see idiots calling in five mile bores on three tickets in the winter or in peak dig season, and it's always the same B.S. We are doing it for the local schools. It is a Federal project. It is a 911 system upgrade. Baloney. It is good old fashioned greed.

The contract outfits can't/won't do anything about it, so it's really down to municipalities most of the time to slow it or stop it. The one call systems and everyone contracted to service them were not designed to deal with "instant projects". And everyone knows it. Everyone.

[phoenix827]

Have a certain "contractor" here that I deal with on a regular basis, does not premark, calls in vague w/a descriptions, calls in NEW tickets anywhere from 2-6 weeks later, lets them expire then calls it in again as a 911. THEN it starts all over again in 2 weeks.

[Danger]

I've got one... have one project the contractor is running fiber.... 30 miles he wanted located in 10 days.... this is a 4 way locate as well.... are they boring .... yes.... are they potholing.... nope... and to top it off they want to run a plow through the city limits...

[yahoo]

ya gotta love dem ghost marks.....heehee

teach them a lesson, throw down some "ghost" marks