Appointment Tickets and Relocates

A change is coming to Appointment tickets and Relocates at Diggers Hotline. Beginning February 8, 2016, Diggers Hotline will allow Crew on Site Relocates on Appointment tickets.

The Diggers Hotline Board of Directors approved the change at their January meeting on the reccomendation of the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is made up of a variety of damage prevention stakeholders including utilities, excavators, locators, the Public Service Commission, and the DOT. They review and discuss various aspects of damage prevention and Diggers Hotline policies, and work to make improvements in those areas which benefit the damage prevention process.

Prior to this change, excavators that needed a relocate of an Appointment ticket could receive another Appointment ticket, which would require the 3 working day wait for the meeting and an additional 3 working days for the locate. They could also receive a 3 Working Day relocate if the excavator could provide clear marking instructions.

By allowing the Crew on Site relocate, the Advisory Board is hoping it will encourage the use of the Appointment tickets. Appointments can be a useful option because it allows the excavator and the locators to easily communicate face to face at the meeting and identify clearly what area requires locating. The Advisory Board was willing to allow the Crew on Site because that relocate option requires the excavator to be on site by the Start Date and Time of the relocate, which allows for the locators to meet with that crew and find out what area needs to be relocated. 

The policy change goes into effect February 8, 2016.