When a locate request is needed for underground utility lines, Miss Utility has to find out exactly where this is needed, in order to then know which utility operators need to be notified of the job. We need a location description that is as specific as possible. A caller may want to give some type of location, such as a church or store or some other site. These sites do not appear on our maps and, therefore, are not useful as reference points. We need addresses (if available), road names, distances & directions from intersections to be able to pinpoint locations.

MUWV does not do the locating; each MUWV member is responsible to mark their own lines. Remember that not all utility owners belong to MUWV at present & are not notified by us to locate for you. You must notify non-members directly. Excavators must also be aware that some underground lines are owned by the property owner who is responsible for those lines and, therefore, in some cases, may not be located by the utility company.

If a caller is certain that there are other underground lines owned by companies other than the ones that were reported, the caller can request the operator to add the company to the request.

Each member is responsible for their own mark-outs. Callers are advised to contact the individual member(s) if they encounter problems. A contact number can be obtained from one of our liaison managers.

Under state law, some underground owner/operators are exempt, namely private water companies, municipalities and gas gathering companies. However, many are joining Miss Utility on a voluntary basis.

In West Virginia, a locate request does not have a lifespan. However, the law requires the excavator to protect and preserve the marks identifying the location of underground utility lines. Excavators should not destroy or remove the marks until their job is complete. This keeps the time and expense to remark the lines at the site to a minimum. Also, if the jobsite is left unnattended for a period of time, calling for remarking is a good idea as marks disappear after a time and other lines could possibly be installed at the site during the absence.

There are a couple of issues with this. First, we need to know which utility company(s) we need to notify and that takes some specific information (see question #1). Next there is a scheduling problem. Let's say there are 4 utililty lines at or near your job site. All the locating people would have to coordinate to meet at a certain time and place and nowadays that is virtually impossible with the work load they all have. Giving us the job site location (and marking the site in white, when possible) is better than trying to set up meetings.

The Customer Support Department is a valuable asset to MUWV members. They monitor applications so that tickets are processed and transmitted properly. With this in mind, Customer Support is available for the following:

• Assist members with equipment problems
• Resend tickets
• Resend audits
• Perform ticket searches. (also see One Call Ticket Search)

Please Call Customer Support at: 412-415-5068 or 412-415-5066.

• ONTRY - (ONline Ticket EntRY) http://ontry.1-call.com - One Call Systems has produced a new ticketing tool for use by excavators. This new product replaces the traditional Email-A-Locate with the convenience and usability of a web based interface. Once an excavator is registered with this new site, they will use their assigned username and password to login. The user can then enter specific information required to complete the locate request by utilizing easy-to-operate drop-down menus. The website has internal controls to ensure that the information you enter is accurate and complete. ONTRY is currently limited to routine locate tickets. 
   

• I.B.I.S. (Internet-Based Input System) allows individual users to enter valid tickets without dealing directly with a customer service representative. OCS has designed this user-friendly software specifically for moderate to high-volume users of the call center, in order to save you time on the phone.

  With the IBIS software, you’ll be able to:

  • Enter your information into a ready-made, easy to use template
  • Use the same up-to-date mapping system the CSR’s using to identify your work site
  • Create multiple tickets and transmit them all at once
  • Receive confirmation numbers for all tickets within a matter of seconds
  • Receive a list of all utilities being notified on each ticket
  • Save your tickets / work orders on your computer in a database
  • Print tickets when needed
  • Search easily and quickly the tickets saved in your database, without having to flip through pages and pages

  What’s the best part of IBIS? It’s totally free. No start up fee. No training fee. Your only investment will be a training session.

  Once this is completed, you’re on your way to enter your own tickets. If you have access to the Internet, there’s no reason why this system can’t work for you.

  If you are interested in learning more about the software, or have any questions, please contact: 

  Jeff Tatusko - (PGH) Special Projects Manager - Jeff has been with OCS for over 7 years. He is responsible for oversite of the remote ticketing service.

  Phone: 412-415-5089
  Email: jtatusko@1-call.com