811 tickets and locates: how contractors keep them tied to the job
How excavation and utility contractors keep 811 ticket numbers, locate marks and photos on the job, so the crew knows what is marked before digging.
To keep 811 tickets tied to the job, record the ticket number, the area it covers, the dig dates, and the locate status on the job record itself, not in a binder or someone's inbox. Attach the photo of the marks to the same record, so anyone on the job can see what is marked and whether a new ticket is needed before a bucket moves. The state rules set the window for each ticket; the job record makes sure the crew and the office both know it.
One ticket, one job
A One-Call ticket covers a specific address and dig area. When tickets sit in the office inbox, the crew on site often has no idea which one applies to the trench they are digging. Put each ticket number on the job it covers, along with the address and the utility owners who responded. 811 ticket tracking in TrackOver is built around that link.
Know the window before you plan the week
Tickets and markouts expire, and the window differs by state. Write the expiration date on the job the day the ticket is issued, and check upcoming expirations at the start of each week. If a dig is slipping past the window, renew before the crew is standing around waiting. The markout expiration guide covers the renewal steps, and the state 811 rules list each state's timing.
Photos of the marks go with the ticket
Once the utilities have marked the ground, photograph the marks with the address and date in the frame, and attach the photo to the job next to the ticket number. If a line gets hit later, that photo and the ticket record are what you pull, instead of trying to remember where the paint was on Tuesday. The jobsite photo app stamps each photo with the GPS location, date, time, and who took it.
The crew needs the same record on the phone
The person with the shovel is the one who needs the ticket number. Keep the ticket, the dig area, and the marks on the job the crew opens on their phone, so they can see before they dig which ticket covers the work and whether it is still valid. If a dig stops for a locate problem, log the stop on the same job so the office can see the delay and the reason later.
When a line gets hit
A line hit is when a clean record matters most. Pull the ticket number, the marks photo, the crew's time for that day, and the expiration history from the job, all in one place. That is the record your utility, insurer, or attorney will ask for first. TrackOver's 811 record for each job gathers the tickets, utility responses and photos together. Talk to your insurer and an attorney about claim handling, since the software keeps the record but does not handle the claim.
Where TrackOver fits
TrackOver keeps 811 tickets on the job, with the expiration dates and the marks photos next to the crew's time, estimates and invoices. If you run utility work, the utility contractor software page shows how it fits. You can start the 7-day free trial and set up one live dig to see it working.
Common questions
What is an 811 ticket? A request to your One-Call center to have underground utilities marked before you dig. The ticket covers a specific address and dig area, and it is valid only for a set window of dates.
How long is an 811 ticket good for? It depends on your state. Each state sets its own valid window and renewal rules, so check the rule for your state on the 811 rules pages or with your One-Call center before you plan the dig.
Should the ticket number be on the job or in the office? On the job. The crew digs, so the crew needs to see the ticket number, the marks and the expiration date before they start. The office can see the same record, so both sides work from one copy.