Montana811 “Ticket Check” Aka “Positive Response”
The Montana Utility Coordinating Council “MUCC” which is the advisory committee to the Utilities Underground Location Center (UULC) aka Washington811 and Montana811 has voted to clarify, expand and emphasize the usage of the “Ticket Check” system by our underground facility owners and excavators.
What is Montana811 Ticket Check?
It is an electronic communication tool for communication between the underground facility owner’s locator and the excavator. A locator can report to the Ticket Check system the status of their locating efforts on a specific ticket (locate request).
You should have already seen it in action as we have been using it since 2016. On emailed tickets to the excavator, you will see the “Member Notified” section of the ticket. It will only show you the ticket information, but not any “Status” information.
However, when you go Manage Tickets or click the review ticket on the Montanan811.org website you can search for your ticket, and you will see that we report the status reported to us by the locators. See the below screenshot.
If a properly formatted email address is on the locate request ticket the “Ticket Check” system will attempt to deliver the status information via email any time that the status is updated by any of the notified members. If there isn’t a usable email address, but a fax number is present, the system will attempt to send the status update to the fax number.
Search and Status Members Notified and Status Example:
Is Ticket Check an “official/legal” way to communicate locate information?
Yes, it is. Montana law allows the use of electronic methods to communicate with excavators.
MCA 69-4-502. Information to be sought before excavation — notification – exceptions, states: “(1) (b) (ii) underground facility owners notified by a notification center respond through the notification center that their underground facilities are located and marked, or that locating or marking is not necessary, and the excavator receives a positive response that locates and marks are either complete or unneeded.”
MCA 69-4-501(24) states “Positive response” means notification through an electronic system provided by a notification center that is available to underground facility owners and excavators and is used for communicating and documenting the status of a request for a locate.
What are the status responses and what do they mean?
Clear/No Conflict
The reporting member is stating the work area as defined on the ticket is clear of their facilities and that no marks may be visible. Often this will be accompanied by their locator writing “Clear” or “OK” in the color of the type of utility and the company name abbreviation.
Marked/Completed
The reporting member is stating the work area as defined on the ticket has been marked. Note: If the excavator has any questions regarding specific markings they should contact that locator directly via the number listed for that utility.
Work-in-Progress – Not Yet Completed
The reporting member is stating that the locating was started, and some marks may be on the ground but are not completed yet. Marks are expected to be completed in 2 full business days from the date the ticket was submitted.
Not Marked – Contact Locator ASAP
The reporting member is stating the locator is having issues contacting the excavator and has questions regarding the locate request and needs the excavator to contact them to help get the locate completed in a timely manner. The locator may enter information into the remarks section to explain the issue, unable to access the excavation area or other such issues.
Does not allow the utility or locator to not locate or to go past the 2 full business days from the date the ticket was submitted.
Marked, Utility Representative Required
The reporting member is stating the work area as defined on the ticket has been marked but they require a representative of the utility company to be present when excavating near their facility.
Does Not Report
Although technically not a response by the utility, this is displayed when a member does not report the status of their locating. An excavator would be required to contact them directly to find out the status of their locating on this ticket.
When does the system send out notifications?
- If there is a properly formatted email address on the ticket then the system will attempt to deliver the status information via email.
- If an email address is not in the correct format or blank but there is a valid fax number listed on the ticket, a fax will be sent. The system will attempt to transmit the automated fax.
- If neither an email nor fax number is on the ticket, the status information will be available via Search & Status®.
A message appears at the bottom of the email/fax as follows:
To review this ticket, see the full status history and any future status updates, visit Search and Status ® on www.managetickets.com.
How can I make sure that I get and see all of the emailed notifications of status updates?
Make sure that the email address provided on the ticket is correct. Check your SPAM / Junk folder regularly to make sure they didn’t end up there. Make sure to add the Call Center email address (“[email protected]” or just simply “@occinc.com”) to your approved contacts list to limit the chance of it ending up in your SPAM/Junk folder.
We recommend that you create an incoming email folder for any emails from the Call Center to separate them from your other emails.
It is also recommended that you review the ticket online and see what has been posted there. To review this ticket, see the full status history and any future status updates, visit Search and Status ® on www.managetickets.com.
When can I expect to get a notification?
When the ticket is ‘past due’ OR when all owner-members that participate in Ticket Check provide a status to the ticket, whichever comes first.
Subsequent emails or fax will be transmitted if any of the owner-members on the ticket change their status.
Can the locators keep changing the status?
Tickets may be statused with any of the status codes above until the ticket is locked. The ticket is locked at the “Work Begin Date and Time” listed on the ticket. This is two full business days from the date of the call by default and is listed on the ticket. Tickets are considered past due as soon as the “Work Begin Date and Time” passes.
When the ticket is canceled with the center, the ticket will be ‘frozen’ so that members cannot update the ticket statuses.
The MUCC Board is reviewing the current Ticket Check Responses to see if they need to be changed or updated. They would like to get your input regarding the Responses you would like to see and ones you don’t. Please email [email protected] with your thoughts.