Overview
MISS DIG System, Inc. is a Michigan Non-Profit Corporation that operates as the Underground Utility Safety Notification System for the entire state. MISS DIG 811 has received over 26 million locate requests resulting in nearly 277 million transmissions since 1970.
MISS DIG 811 provides this free service to homeowners, excavators, municipalities and utility companies via our web based locate requests- elocate.missdig.org and rte.missdig.org, or by placing a toll free call to 811 or 800-482-7171. MISS DIG 811 processes that locate request by contacting our over 1,700 members, who then come out and locate their facilities. The mission of MISS DIG System, Inc. is to safeguard the public, environment, property, and utility infrastructures and promote utility damage prevention through a quality, cost-effective process for our customers.
Excavators, landscapers, farmers, homeowners and contractors can contact us 7 days a week- 24 hours a day! Before you dig contact MISS DIG 811 - IT IS THE LAW!
Annual Ticket Counts:
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JAN | 46,427 | 48,486 | 41,290 | 39,786 | 36,967 | 30,684 |
| FEB | 41,611 | 42,690 | 34,733 | 37,517 | 38,007 | 33,355 |
| MAR | 91,438 | 65,557 | 59,921 | 56,921 | 60,295 | 61,411 |
| APR | 123,898 | 63,085 | 107,601 | 84,383 | 81,490 | 80,787 |
| MAY | 112,839 | 101,146 | 121,971 | 107,601 | 103,975 | 90,378 |
| JUN | 117,673 | 119,029 | 110,962 | 100,431 | 99,317 | 92,474 |
| JUL | 102,631 | 110,449 | 114,642 | 95,447 | 86,787 | 78,653 |
| AUG | 105,729 | 107,013 | 98,676 | 94,119 | 87,368 | |
| SEP | 107,449 | 100,019 | 91,905 | 83,159 | 80,188 | |
| OCT | 101,613 | 106,356 | 102,233 | 85,423 | 78,500 | |
| NOV | 71,647 | 63,535 | 66,433 | 66,068 | 62,207 | |
| DEC | 57,673 | 47,839 | 42,660 | 37,379 | 38,298 | |
| TOTAL | 303,374 | 994,573 | 1,015,743 | 923,993 | 872,986 | 814,303 |
Our History
Establishment
In November, 1970, MISS DIG System, Inc. was established as a pilot program in Oakland County by five major Michigan utility companies (Consumers Power, Detroit Edison, GTE, Michigan Bell, and Michigan Consolidated Gas) in an effort to reduce damages to their underground facilities, prevent injuries, and save lives. The participating utilities included underground telephone and telegraph, gas, and electric.
Protection of Underground Utility Facilities
With the enactment of Public Act 53 of 1974 by the Michigan State Legislature for the Protection of Underground Facilities, the need for a statewide one-call service grew. By 1975, MISS DIG 811 one-call service was available throughout Michigan's Lower Peninsula. By 1976, MISS DIG System Inc.'s one-call service was also available in the Upper Peninsula. In 2004 the one-call MISS DIG 811 began its transformation to the MISS DIG 811 Notification system, by incorporating Remote Ticket Entry via the World Wide Web. Currently MISS DIG 811 receives over 65% of our locate requests via the web by either our single address e-Locate ticket or the Remote Ticket Entry (RTE) Program which is primarily for excavator’s, municipalities and utilities. 2013 was the latest change for the MISS DIG 811 system, PA 174 was enacted in November of 2013, with an effective date of April 1, 2014. PA 174 of 2013 replaced PA 53 of 1974 and added definitions and enforcement as key parts of the protection of underground utilities.
Overhead Electric Assistance
Between 1977 and 1979, the MISS DIG 811 service expanded to include a statewide overhead electric line assistance program. At the request of the excavator, overhead electric line assistance may be provided by an electric utility if the excavator's equipment will be used near overhead electric lines.
Incorporation
On December 15, 1994, MISS DIG 811 was officially incorporated as a Michigan non-profit corporation. A seven member Board of Directors was created to set company goals and objectives for the one-call utility notification center.
Expansion
In 1996, MISS DIG 811 opened a northern office in Escanaba to assist the Pontiac office in fulfilling its projected long-term growth and disaster recovery goals. Currently MISS DIG 811 has three facilities; our administrative office and call center in Auburn Hills, our notification center in Flint and our primary call center in Gladstone.
Federal Efforts
Federal one-call legislation was passed by the United States Congress in 1998. The legislation recommended that all states have a one-call utility notification system and the participation of utility companies and excavators throughout each state.
Milestones
In 2019, MISS DIG 811 had a record year with over 1,000,000 locate requests. MISS DIG 811 is the longest state wide 24 hour underground utility safety notification system in the U.S.
Function
MISS DIG 811 is the central contact for the protection of underground utilities. The MISS DIG 811 system's primary function is to process locate requests from individuals planning to dig and notifies its member utilities about these excavations. The member utilities then mark the dig site, indicating the approximate location of their underground public utility lines (MISS DIG 811 does not mark). The MISS DIG 811 system promotes safety on the job site and assists the utilities in providing safe and efficient service to millions of customers, thus helping to preserve the environment and ensuring the quality of life for all Michigan residents. MISS DIG 811 is also charged with education of its members, excavators, homeowners and the general public to the need to protect underground utilities and those working around them.
- MISS DIG 811 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emergency and non-emergency requests
- The MISS DIG System, Inc. is a member of One Call Systems International (OCSI) and the Common Ground Alliance (CGA)
- MISS DIG 811's busiest months are April, May and June. The average number of tickets taken per day in the summer is over 6,000.