Review of One Call Operator Membership and Exemptions for State Departments of Transportation

One Call centers are part of a nationwide system in the U.S. that aims to reduce the probability of excavators causing damage to underground utilities during construction projects. Laws dictating which utility operators must participate in One Call systems differ across states. In some states, certain utility operators have membership exemptions in One Call systems. However, these exemptions have come under scrutiny as they limit grant opportunities available for One Call centers. State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are one group of institutions frequently exempted from One Call requirements, though they operate underground utilities as part of their transportation networks. To discern the impacts of exemptions or required membership in state One Call systems, this study involves a comprehensive literature review on One Call legislation, a national survey of state DOT subject-matter experts, and 12 in-depth case studies with DOT personnel. These efforts show that a definitive solution is not apparent. When a state DOT evaluates its One Call operator membership, the DOT must carefully consider many variables and potentially complex interactions. Moreover, quantifying the costs and benefits of operator membership proves challenging, as they vary as a result of the diverse criteria. This study reveals that deciding on One Call memberships or exemptions at a national level is not judicious. In fact, the findings emphasize that the state DOT is the most suitable entity to determine whether the One Call operator membership is warranted. Thus, their voices should be decisive when deliberating over their One Call operator memberships.