20240305 Tampa Bay DPC Minutes
1) Large Project Tickets – 22:49 and 1:09;00
a) The Sunshine 811 Board of Directors is looking at introducing large project tickets and would like input from the DPCs.
i) Suggestion: Make the ticket life longer
(1) 60 days instead of 30 days
(a) If the tickets are 60 days, would the excavator be updating the scope?
(b) Marks would have to be visible for 60 days
ii) Suggestion: Make the expiration date start when all member operators respond
(Excavator is renewing tickets that were never fully marked or cleared)
(1) Marking delay response would not count – Actual marking or clear/no conflict
iii) Suggestion: Limit the number of tickets an excavator can notify
(1) Number of tickets or length of scope
(2) There is a huge fluctuation in ticket volume from day to day
b) Part of the purpose of the DPCs is to look at what changes can be made to alleviate the delays large projects are causing
(1) Suggestion: Sunshine 811 should review the ticket parameters to try to limit the locate issues
(a) Limit distances that tickets can cover
(b) Limit number of tickets a contractor can call in
(c) Change the due dates = Extend for project tickets
(d) Could different areas or conditions need different tickets
(i) Urban vs. Rural
(ii) Multiple crossings
(iii) Multiple hookups
(e) Base project tickets on footage
(i) A locator may only be able to locate 2,000 feet in a day
(f) Hold pre-excavation meetings
2) Ticket Renewals – 25:10
a) Excavator asked if a renewal ticket would cause the previous ticket to be invalid
(Excavator was told by Sunshine 811 Member Services that the renewal invalidates the original)
i) Brian Dean – Sunshine 811: To the best of my knowledge, the original ticket would still be valid until it expires.
(1) Any changes to the ticket would make that ticket invalid
ii) If marks are needed, then the original ticket would be invalid, and the excavator must wait for the required time.
3) Long Delays in Locate Marks – 30:20
a) Tickets are taking weeks to complete.
i) What can excavators do to help the locators and foster communications
(1) Locator response
(a) Large projects are overloading ticket volume
(i) They are overloading contract locators and in-house locators
(ii) USIC is working with large project teams to limit impact
1. Only locate what is being worked in the next couple of days
2. Schedule together to keep projects going
(b) Communication with the local supervisor
(i) Sunshine 811 liaisons can provide contacts
(ii) USIC is spreading contacts to supervisors, lead techs, and the manager
4) Ticket Status Updates – 33:50
a) Excavator is seeing marks on the ground, but the positive responses are not updated
(1) Heard there was a change to the contract locator software
(a) USIC did have a system change but this has been an ongoing issue
(i) The new USIC system is called Locate 360
(b) They have had issues where there is a communications issue with Exactix (Sunshine 811 ticket entry system) where the locator cannot see tickets to update positive responses after a 3F delay or ongoing job response is used initially
(i) Those issues are being addressed
(ii) The local supervisor can reopen the ticket and then the response can be changed within a few minutes
5) Noncompliance Notifications – 36:07
i) If there is an excavator or member operator that is not complying with their requirements, put in a noncompliance notice. This makes the noncompliant person aware of the alleged noncompliance.
Editor’s Note: Sunshine 811 liaisons do monitor noncompliance notices and will reach out to allegedly noncompliant excavators or to unknown excavators that put in new noncompliance notices. Sunshine 811 does not investigate noncompliance allegations. They are used as opportunities to educate and to establish contact. Most noncompliance notices received are against the member operators (utilities) for locating issues.
6) Fiber Installation Projects – 36:43
a) There are large directional drilling fiber projects that are overwhelming the system
i) 20 or 30 crews are sometimes coming into an area and that is too much to locate
(1) These project leaders should be working with the locators
(a) Reach out to the locators and get to know them
(b) Make agreements to schedule locates
(c) Limit ticket parameters (scopes) to realistic work schedules
7) Contractors Using Private Locators After Delays – 38:24
a) Brian Dean, Sunshine 811
i) The Excavator must still notify Sunshine 811 and wait the required time
(1) Verify positive response and attempt to contact any late member operators
ii) After two business days, if the locates are not completed and there is no agreement for a delay, the excavator can dig if they use reasonable care, and they use locating equipment of other acceptable means to locate the facilities.
(1) Go into Exacitx and check “Does not Agree” to a delay response used by a locator if they did not contact you
(2) Document the site and conditions in case there is damage
iii) It may be a good idea for project owners to put in money for private locates to keep projects on schedule
(1) Private locates can be expensive, but not as expensive as damage or delays
8) Large Projects – Helping Locators – 40:59
a) Split up tickets so parts of projects can be completed
i) Be aware that locators are overwhelmed
ii) Work with them as much as possible
iii) Keep in contact with the locators to get realistic work schedules
iv) A one-mile ROW to ROW ticket is really two miles since the locator must do both sides of the street
v) Request to meet to discuss prior to notification or after notification
vi) If it is a large project like signs or poles that has multiple locations white lined
(1) Number of white lined areas
(2) Add an attachment with the areas needed
9) Can the excavators get access to the utilities as-built maps? – 47:00
a) Some utilities do share their maps for design tickets
i) Put in a design ticket prior to starting a project to get a list of contacts
ii) Sunshine 811 does not know where the utilities are.
(1) They do get some shape files but then add a large buffer
iii) The contacts Sunshine 811 are only as good as provided by the member operator
(1) Reach out to Sunshine 811 Liaisons if you need a particular contact
10) Member Operators Clearing Tickets Before Sending to Locator – 51:30
a) Excavators are seeing Clear/No Conflict responses and then hitting facilities
i) That process is called scraping and based on maps, the tickets are not sent to the locators
ii) If you see Clear/No Conflict, do some investigation to be sure that there are no buried facilities
iii) Sometimes the locator’s maps are not updated
iv) Some member operators do not pay contract locators to locate service line and drops
11) Ticket Renewals – Are Marks Required? – 55:50
a) Can the contractor keep records or maps of previous locate marks and remark the area?
(Locators would not have to go out and re-mark the area every month)
i) Chapter 556 requires the excavator to call in a new ticket if the marks are no longer visible
(1) On an expiring ticket, if re-marking is not needed, the excavator can state in the locate description that marks are not needed
(a) Then the locator would not be required to mark again
b) Technology may be heading to where physical marks are not needed
i) That would require legislative changes and is not currently practicable
12) Holding Locators Responsible – 1:01:00 and 1:04:57
a) Can Exactix hold the excavator responsible when response is “Marked” but there are no marks? Who holds the locator responsible?
i) Excavator mobilizes a crew, but they can’t work until the problem is resolved
(1) Costs time and money with no recourse
ii) Billing the locator for delays does not work
(1) Some FDOT contractors are submitting Notice of Intent for delay claims
iii) You can submit noncompliance reports
iv) Sunshine 811 will probably open Chapter 556 in the 2026 legislative session
(1) The Sunshine 811 Board of Directors will probably reach out to contractor associations to get consent on the changes
(a) Florida Transportation Builders Association
(b) National Utility Locators Association of Florida
(2) There needs to be an agreement on legislation, or the proposed changes may not pass
(a) That is what happened in 2024 where a Sunshine 811 proposed change was stopped by a contractor association
13) Exactix Contacts not Correct – 1:03:08
a) There should be an easy way to correct contacts or at least let someone know a contact is bad
i) Simplifying contact changes have been suggested to management and Exactix
(1) The current form is very difficult to complete
b) Sunshine 811 now has a QC team that is dedicated to reviewing tickets
14) Exactix – Uploading Attachments After Notification – 1:19:00
a) Suggestion to allow adding attachments and comments after a ticket is submitted
i) Allows a locator to request additional information and the excavator to add attachments and comments
(1) Currently the excavator needs to renew the ticket to add information
(2) The excavator could send the locator an email or text attachment
15) Excavator Recognition – PowerTown Line Construction
a) Wayne Jensen asked USIC to recommend an excavator that works with the locators to get tickets marked
i) USIC named Power Town and PowerTown representatives attended this DPC
(1) The DPC gave USIC and PowerTown management the chance to meet
(2) They breakdown tickets
(3) They show up when they call in tickets
(a) There was an estimate that 30%+ of the time excavators do not show up
(i) Power Town does show up
(4) Communication is the key to success
16) People’s Gas High Priority Triage – 1:29:00
a) New process for working around high priority PCS lines
i) To determine if a PGS employee needs to be on site for excavation near gas lines
(1) 126psi or higher
(2) 1,000 customers or more could be impacted
ii) A PGS Damage Prevention Liaison reaches out to you, please respond
(1) They will schedule to be out on site