Crews on site....

[FigNewton]

Here in Wisconsin we get a TON of crews on sites called in regularily... whether the ticket was totally completed and billed out as such or not.

I'm talking excavtors that call in to your office and ask for relo's instead of calling the 'one call' center.

This is so frustrating to me. And it seems like something that we shouldn't have to do nor should do.

How do you guys deal with this? And is the way you deal with it legite? I mean will the company you work for back you up on it?

[Goldenboy]

This is very frustrating. It clearly states in the Excavator's Guide that if marks are wiped out because of weather or disruption that it is the contractors responsibility to call the one call center to have the area remarked. Instead of calling the one call center they call our office direct and they send us out for free.

Once again they wonder why we can't make money but half the work we do we don't get paid for. We go check out all the utilities "abandoned" cable damages,we go on hazard calls to identify the utilities hazards, and we go remark sites for FREE. If we continue to do everything for free we are just cutting our own throats.

[sprayandpray]

I will say one thing for SMPhere, we don't even go back out for a customer without a ticket unless a damage is involved, or some type of citizen complaint was involved - damage to property, overspray or something

[FigNewton]

The worst part is it's usually the utility companies that pretty much run the one call centers that call in the crew on sites. Nothing you can do there unless you wanna tick off your customers.

[Mr Blunderbuss]

I scolded a gas company crew that was cutting off gas service when they stated on the crew on site relo that "nothing was marked". This happened this past winter after we had received a couple of inches of snow. I talked with the crew foreman and told him that the ticket had been marked prior to the storm. "Now do you think", I asked him, "that the marks may have been wiped-out as a result of that storm?!?" "Oh." I get a little uppity when a contractor claims that "nothing was marked".

[Mr Blunderbuss]

I will say one thing for SMPhere, we don't even go back out for a customer without a ticket unless a damage is involved, or some type of citizen complaint was involved - damage to property, overspray or something

If a contractor calls me and wants me to "freshen up my marks", I tell him that he will have to call in a relo, and further explain to him that I need a ticket to bill on. 99% of the time they will after I also explain that the other utilities will need to be notified, as well.

[yahoo]

contractors that take care of the company....get taken care of no matter what .........no questions asked.......everyone else .............call for a new ticket to the one call center .....

[big boots mcghee]

I scolded a gas company crew that was cutting off gas service when they stated on the crew on site relo that "nothing was marked". This happened this past winter after we had received a couple of inches of snow. I talked with the crew foreman and told him that the ticket had been marked prior to the storm. "Now do you think", I asked him, "that the marks may have been wiped-out as a result of that storm?!?" "Oh." I get a little uppity when a contractor claims that "nothing was marked".

Have you ever rolled back out to a no show emergency, shown the contractor photos of the site located in it's entirety, told them to call in for a refresh, and left without marking anything? Sometimes you need to drive home the point that we're nobody's fool a little dramatically to get through to these shortcutting contractors.

[locomike]

in nc we got area not located and we dont get paid for them because they have the same ticket number but remark/destory marks we do and i dont go backout to the site with out a ticket.

[locator_smbk]

Well, I can guarantee you USIC won't look out for its locators....and I know my employer won't back me up either.....it has been proven time and time again....

[underground quester]

With us no ticket, no locate, no exceptions.

Well, one exception, a very late at night emergency and the contractor/utility cannot get in touch with ONE CALL. They are obliged to get a ticket number.

I do get tired though of all the NON emergency "emergencies" that are called in because some contractor failed to plan, now I am supposed to react to his failure to plan. In most cases I do the locate. However, if I am PMSing I have on occasion told the contractor to call in the ticket and get in line like everyone else. Then I get a call from my boss...

On occasion the utility company that is the main member of the consortium does this and I call their locate auditor. Ask him what he knows about an emergency (leaking gas,etc.) at such and such address. When he tells me "nothing" I know the crews are just trying to beat the system. I then call the locate auditor out tosite because apparently there is a leak. This sets off all sorts of bells and whistles inside the gas utility so the crew usually ends up in the dog house. And hey, I am JUST TRYING TO BE HELPFUL, letting the whole gas utility know that we maybe found a leak! HE.HE. HE

[beyond help]

If I do not have a ticket, screw you and the horse you rode in on. If you call for a restake (no marks) and I have marked it. I pull up my pics on the upm and make sure my ass is covered. If you can't plan ahead and decide to dig 21 days later. SCREW YOU!!!!. Damn, I'm in a bad mood.

[underground quester]

If I do not have a ticket, screw you and the horse you rode in on. If you call for a restake (no marks) and I have marked it. I pull up my pics on the upm and make sure my ass is covered. If you can't plan ahead and decide to dig 21 days later. SCREW YOU!!!!. Damn, I'm in a bad mood.

PEACE BE WITH YOU BROTHER!

I am right there in agreement with you!

Some days I use humor with them (velvet hammer) and some days I just use the old 10 pound sledge. Seems to work either way...most days.

[LadyLeatherneck]

Again, more money lost! Wasting the locators' time. Once or twice, not so bad. But, multiply once or twice a week, or a day, by how many locators in this industry? Do the math.

[yahoo]

this seems to be the problems we all face in this industry....nothing will ever change...we will have to cope one way of the other