OCC Annual Users’ Group Meeting

For more than 25 years, OCC has sponsored an annual Users’ Group meeting to keep our clients updated on new initiatives, technology trends, and best practices across the damage prevention industry. Just as importantly, the OCC Users’ Group annual meeting also provides a forum for clients to share their ideas and voice their concerns on topics of greatest significance to their individual 811 center operations.

The annual Users’ Group Meeting is for damage prevention professionals and leaders from all stakeholder groups at OCC-operated notification centers. Past attendees have included board members, executive directors, and more.

OCC Users’ Group attendees have extensive experience, and the open, sharing environment provides fresh perspectives and invaluable learning opportunities for all who attend… enriching our collective expertise.

The two-and-a-half-day meeting will cover a range of important topics for today’s damage prevention industry. Past sessions have included leadership strategies, product launches, legislative and regulatory efforts, marketing, and technology.

In addition to informative presentations, you’ll participate in interactive roundtables and share ideas in fun, casual networking events. In this collaborative environment, you’ll make professional connections that will enhance your knowledge and benefit your 811 center.

Since 1997, OCC has hosted the annual Users’ Group meeting to foster continuous improvement in damage prevention efforts nationwide. This is your meeting, and we design each year’s event to provide the greatest possible benefit to you and your 811 center.

The 811 Trio

One Call Concepts has made thunderous impact on the industry and beyond with its trio of 811 Vehicles: the 811 Bike, Car, and Trike. All designed and built by Paul Teutul Jr. of “American Chopper” fame, the vehicles have become a well-known industry staple at events across the United States. The roar of the engines and head-turning designs have generated interest amongst both members of the general public and our industry, creating a perfect opportunity for damage prevention education.

Each of the vehicles feature excavation industry symbols that have been incorporated into the designs of all three vehicles, including backhoe buckets, digging tools, and an 811 logo. Check it out yourself by watching the “American Choppers” episodes (available with a Discovery Network package).

The 811 vehicles have traveled around the United States every year. Interested in having the 811 vehicles at an event near you? Fill out the form at the bottom of this page.

History

As OCC was nearing its 30^th year in business, founder Tom Hoff, was on the lookout for a unique way to convey the message of damage prevention. “The 811 Bike really grew out of a sincere desire to give something meaningful back to the industry that has supported our employees and customers for so much of my professional life,” Hoff says, “Getting the 811 Bike built was the easiest part of the process. The hardest part was figuring out just what the ‘something’ was.”

One sleepless night, Hoff found his inspiration. “Like a lot of boys who grew up in America when I did, I was fascinated by cars, motorcycles and just about any kind of mechanized transportation,” he says. “That attraction stayed with me as I got older. I was a dyed-in-the-wool gearhead and found myself watching those ‘how they do it’ shows on cable. When I came across ‘American Chopper,’ I was hooked.”

With that realization, the idea for the 811 Bike was born. “In hindsight, it should have been obvious. Given the tremendous popularity of ‘American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior,’ it was inevitable that working with Paul Jr. on a damage prevention themed bike would be a great way to reach a new audience about the importance of knowing what’s below before you dig.”

As a result of this idea, OCC commissioned Paul Jr. to design a custom 811 Bike. After six months of planning and construction, the 811 Bike was unveiled at the 2012 Greater Chesapeake Damage Prevention Training Conference (GCDPTC) in Ocean City, Maryland.

Today, the 811 Vehicles are handled by Mark Hamrick, a retired member of the communications industry. He and his wife, Kim, travel the country “on the road to damage prevention” and carry on the tradition of teaching people about protecting the underground infrastructure at sports games, fairs, conferences, and more.

811 Bike

As mentioned above, the idea of the 811 Bike was conceived by OCC founder, Tom Hoff. In 2011, OCC commissioned Paul Jr. to design and build the bike. Work began on the vehicle in mid-September of that year, with a series of research and development meetings. Construction began and everything was kept under wraps until November 3, 2012, when the bike was officially unveiled to over 500 people in attendance at the GCDPTC.

The 811 Bike features a Crazy Horse Motorcycle Bottlecap V-Plus 100 engine with 67 horsepower and Baker Right Side Drive Six Speed transmission. It’s 10 feet long and weighs 597 pounds with a 27-inch front wheel. Each of the wheels is carved from a single block of aluminum.

Industry symbols have been incorporated throughout the design, including a shovel head on the right side over the ignition, a shovel handle in the handlebar, a pickaxe on both sides that supports the rear fender, and backhoe buckets in the wheels and on the rear chain gear.

811 Car

Due to the tremendous success of the 811 Bike, OCC commissioned Paul Jr. to build the 811 Car in early 2016. The planning and construction of the custom Callaway Corvette SC757 Z06 took nine months to complete. The Car was first unveiled October 19, 2016, at the GCDPTC before rolling out onto the expo floor at the industry-wide CGA Excavation Safety Conference & Expo in March 2017.

The 811 Car features wheels that were custom-designed with a hammer and chisel to accommodate the 757 horsepower and 777 lb-ft torque that is generated by the engine. According to Paul Jr., the wheels alone took 400 hours to make. Click here to watch Paul Jr. talking about the 811 Car.

811 Trike

The 811 Trike was unveiled on April 25, 2018, at the OCC corporate office in Hanover, Maryland. In agreement with the Discovery Channel, the 811 Trike was featured on a season 11 episode of “American Chopper,” aired an episode on June 25, 2018, showcasing the design, construction, and unveil of the new 811 vehicle. The 811 Trike is a specially customized three-wheeled bike, built with a high-performance Ultima Long Rod 140 Engine with 160 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. The engine has heavy duty C355 castings and dynamic balanced press pin crank shafts with eight rods to increase performance.

A new unique feature on the Trike is the APWA color-coded mechanized cords running through the vehicle that represent the five (out of eight) utility colors: yellow, green, orange, red, and blue.