Illinois Locates

[LocateChecker]

I've recently started hearing rumblings that one of the major utilities in Illinois is having some concerns about on time performance and missed locates. Anyone else been picking up on these vibes?

[frostypeters]

Yep...but what else is new?

[yahoo]

sounds like problems that most companies deal with????

[wet_boots101]

Is said utility humming, or do they just sound gassy? Without naming any names of course. Just wanted to know.

[LocateChecker]

Maybe they could be humming and gassy.

[GPGrasshopper]

My father in law is like that.

[wet_boots101]

Pardon me for not knowing what is current, but as far as I know:

1) I have been receiving callbacks from ELM in northern IL for locates on the gas when I call in a one-call ticket (something I now do w/ work).

2) I have seen no less than 3 ELM trucks driving around in the last 24hrs here in my town.

Someone please confirm they got the gas locate contract / this is in transition and happening now. I haven't seen any outright posts about this.

And GOOD FOR THEM~! if they wrangled that away from USIC anyways. I hear USIC didn't really want to continue with Nicor as a client. But it seems dumb they'd give away a contract... although I think the other clients of theirs must now pony-up and raise the rates they pay per locate, if I remember a person in management explaining this correctly.

[TheCableVine]

There are 10 job openings at ELM's website. They must have picked up something.

[greek1]

elm is taking the gassy in illinois little by little

[OVUS1]

We are in northern Indiana. Our techs and managers are getting calls from locators in northern Illinois asking about ELM (mainly how good a company they are and what does anybody know about them). That's all I know for sure but it appears there might be some changes coming over there.

[Throttle jockey]

I now of two or more guys leaving on Monday at the same time, and another left last week.... All b/c the mang. controls the tickets, you may work 11 hrs. one day 8 the next and 2 after that. Just to keep you at or just under 40hrs..I know of to three more that left to go to CUS..at the first of the year. They (CUS)make less money per hour. But with the bounes money. And having mang. leave you alone to do your work, and to get real time tickets it's worth it's weight in gold. I know of one of the guys that went to work at Walmart just because of the stress. at ELM.

I know of somemore stuff about the damages, that have happened. And some of the locating practices that they try to preach.. But I will just sit back and watch the ship sink

OSHA

[shovelhead]

With all of the micromanaging that is going on in this industry at large, how long do you suppose it will take before most are operating with a full on "piecework" business model?

Cause that sure as hell is what it feels like around here as of late...

[locator1]

consolidated utilities in florida is on piece rate and also in knoxville tennesse and many other areas,i think you are right i would not be suprised the entire industry switches to this pay and screws all us locators over

[locator1]

consolidated utilities operates off piece rate,it may not be as nice as some think,but some areas may be different,it may also due to your manager in that area,i worked in knoxville tennessee and i know guys down here in florida they all work off piece rate and they just clear tickets out just to make enough money on there check cause if they actually locate each ticket they would not make enough,so in short piece rate can be bad

[Throttle jockey]

no p/r here I guess we are lucky