Representatives from USA North and Dig Alert briefed the board on operational and technology changes intended to improve ticket quality and speed operator responses.

USA North explained how the introduction of automated ‘no response’ messages earlier in the year temporarily inflated delivery counts and prompted an outreach effort to update member contact data. Presenter James Wingate described investments in base maps and supplemental layers — address points, preliminary parcels, mile markers and API links to county GIS — designed to help excavators draw precise dig polygons and reduce over‑notification. Wingate said the industry must aim to give locators the best available context: ‘‘we’d rather have utility operators complain that they received too many tickets than not enough,’’ he told the board, arguing the system should err on caution while improving precision.

Dig Alert reported adding a GIS specialist, expanding member services hours, refining auto no‑responses to target only members who failed to submit EPRs, and creating investigator tools to visualize overlapping areas of notification for troubleshooting. Dig Alert also described redundancy improvements for critical servers and an outreach push including updated instructional videos and a recent mock‑strike safety summit that staged a live fire demonstration to show consequences when lines are struck.

During Q&A members and public speakers raised recurring operational questions: how call center agents handle 'no response' and remark requests, whether they cross‑check prior revisions before issuing a revision‑1 no‑response, and the limits of emergency‑ticket handling. Call center staff acknowledged imperfect processes but emphasized ongoing technical fixes, data hygiene and training to reduce errors and false negatives.

Both centers asked for continued collaboration with the board and operators as SB 254 rulemaking moves forward, given the planned expansion of early planning and design exchanges.