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Think Tank Releases New Report on The Consensus Technologies Needed For Improving Excavation Damage Prevention

27 Jul 2022, Posted by John Cassibry in All Posts, Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release: Wednesday, July 27, 2022 CONTACT: John Cassibry, jcassibry@aii.org   Washington, D.C, July 27, 2022 — The Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii) released its latest white paper, Consensus Around Technologies: The Key Communications Technologies that Need to be Adopted to Improve Efficiency and Reduce Excavation…

FEATURE: Making a Homeowner Locate Request

14 Jul 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

I have studied damage prevention for several years. From reading reports and best practice guides to ride alongs with locators and even calling in an 811 locate request, I felt like I had a good understanding. But it was this summer when I made an online homeowner locate request that…

How Technology Improves Safety on the Roads

23 Jun 2022, Posted by John Cassibry in All Posts, Blog Posts

Since the first gas-powered automobile in 1886, cars have constantly advanced in efficiency, capability, and most importantly, safety. While the safety of the vehicles that transport us every day is often taken for granted, it is worth taking some time to reflect on several of the advanced safety features helping…

5 Impacts of Suspending the Gas Tax

21 Jun 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

There is an energy crisis in the United States impacting families at the pump, diesel-powered supply chains, and the broader electricity grid. With gasoline and diesel prices skyrocketing in recent months – reaching all-time record highs – the Biden administration is considering temporarily suspending the federal excise tax on fuel…

5 Things I Learned Taking Amtrak Down the East Coast 

13 Jun 2022, Posted by John Cassibry in All Posts, Blog Posts

The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line that is the busiest passenger rail in the United States. A ride on an Amtrak train from Boston to Washington D.C. covers almost 440 miles and makes stops in New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. This transportation network supports the Northeast…

Costs, Carbon, and Cargo, Powering Shipping into the Future

31 May 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

The international shipping industry facilitates the movement of millions of products between continents in a matter of weeks. Massive container ships today are so large that they require their own unit (measured in twenty-foot equivalent units or TEUs), and with their significant freight capacity, they form the backbone of the…

It’s Time for Nationwide Adoption of Electronic White-Lining

24 May 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

Looking ahead to the year 2030, we hope to see technology integrated into virtually every activity we do. For damage prevention, this is not merely aspirational, it is a necessity. Fortunately, industry groups have already cast this vision, stating in the latest Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Technology Report that the…

New Strides in Public Transit with Hudson Tunnel Project

19 May 2022, Posted by John Cassibry in All Posts, Blog Posts

With gas prices on the rise and the population growth rapidly increasing every year, major cities are having to prioritize innovations in public transportation. One historic project that recently received a go-ahead will soon take travelers underneath the Hudson River– the Hudson Tunnel Project. On March 28, the U.S. Department…

Safer Digging Part 5: Investigating A Damage

17 May 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

Up to this point, we have explored a range of benefits that accrue from the use of technology in the damage prevention process. Not only is technology vital to avoiding damage, but it makes the process more efficient, reduces environmental hazards, enables cost savings, and more. One final benefit emerges…

Safer Digging Part 4: Saving Time Saving Money

12 May 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

There is a clear connection between effective damage prevention and cost saving – when you avoid a damage, you avoid all of the direct and indirect costs that come from it. But the use of innovative technology in the damage prevention process can also help stakeholders in saving time and…

Safer Digging Part 3: Keep it in Park

10 May 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

This blog series is laser-focused on innovative technology that can improve the damage prevention process. While this particular series only discusses one technology – Electronic white-lining (EWL)– we have covered its manifold benefits, including public safety, damage reduction, and communications value. Electronic white-lining has multiple advantages, but here we focus…

Safer Digging Part 2: Click Don’t Call

05 May 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

In March, Aii ran its original damage prevention campaign Modern Roots March to help raise America’s infrastructure IQ about the critical roots of modern life below our feet. In April, Aii joined national groups, agencies, and nonprofits to elevate National Safe Digging Month to improve excavation safety. Now as we enter…

Safer Digging Part 1: Before the Shovel

03 May 2022, Posted by bdierker in All Posts, Blog Posts

The first step for safer digging happens long before the shovel hits the ground. Damage prevention relies on communication and collaboration between parties through One-Call centers. The notice of proposed excavation is the first step in this process, but it is more than just making a call. Error and miscommunication…

Safe Digging Month Wraps, But Safe Digging Continues

27 Apr 2022, Posted by John Cassibry in All Posts, Blog Posts

April is recognized across the U.S. as National Safe Digging Month. As the April showers wind down and the May flowers sprout up, it is important to keep in mind the lessons learned from National Safe Digging Month. While spring can be a great time for gardening and backyard projects,…