The turnpike system and the money grabbers In the state

[Raido Free America]

I had heard that same story. And very little of the income goes to Oklahoma. Very little

I took my own advice and looked this question up! OTA was formed by statute in 1947, it is funded, by the sale of turnpike bonds, tolls, and concession fees! It is overseen by the turnpike board, appointed by the Governor, which is overseen by ODOT! Acquiring land right of ways, road and bridge construction, and maintenance, cost the same, no matter who pays from it! City, County, State, and Federal, roads and maintenance, are payed for by selling bonds, and tax payer money, no matter if the tax payer uses the road, or not! Turnpikes are payed for by the toll payers, that actually use the road!! That seems to be a more fair way to have good roads, to me?

 

[CHenry]

Service Oklahoma got its name under Stitt, but I'm pretty sure OMES started well before Stitt took office. Their empire building definitely began long before Stitt even considered running for office, back when they were the Office of State Finance--I don't recall exactly when, but they managed to do their takeover of the state's IT before my old boss retired back in 2015.

I may be wrong on the timeline and OMES may have already been up and running, just recall when they took over IT as Terry was saying. Cant remember the year though , but it was guite a mess.

 

[SoonerP226]

I may be wrong on the timeline and OMES may have already been up and running, just recall when they took over IT as Terry was saying. Cant remember the year though , but it was guite a mess.

Oh, yeah, "mess" is putting it politely. They tried to take over all of state IT in Oklahoma, but the Regents for Higher Ed managed to fend them off, or it really would've been a catastrophic mess. From what I could tell, OSF/OMES knew how to tick off check boxes (and people...), but they didn't have a clue how to run a service-oriented operation like IT.

Fortunately, I'm well beyond the grasp of their grubby little paws now.

 

[TerryMiller]

I may be wrong on the timeline and OMES may have already been up and running, just recall when they took over IT as Terry was saying. Cant remember the year though , but it was guite a mess.

I'm not sure of the year either, but when OMES came into being and the wife's boss was promoted up, the wife was "designated" as "interim IT Division Director." She didn't get any pay increase, but just got more job requirements. For some reason, I want to think that she was "interim" for maybe a year and a half, but I won't swear by it. That would put OMES in place in either 2012 or 2013.

 

[TerryMiller]

LOL has anyone tried that in 4?

A couple of times when on one of the turnpikes, I have seen drivers in cars or pickups change lanes right at the point of the "overhead readers.." I'm not sure that they are successful, because if they good enough cameras, they may still be getting caught. Some camera lenses can be pretty wide, perhaps enough to pick up a tag in crossing the lanes.

 

[SoonerP226]

A couple of times when on one of the turnpikes, I have seen drivers in cars or pickups change lanes right at the point of the "overhead readers.." I'm not sure that they are successful, because if they good enough cameras, they may still be getting caught. Some camera lenses can be pretty wide, perhaps enough to pick up a tag in crossing the lanes.

I frequently see people doing it on the Creek Turnpike. Always seemed like kind of a dishonorable way to do it.

 

[Rustytweezers]

I took my own advice and looked this question up! OTA was formed by statute in 1947, it is funded, by the sale of turnpike bonds, tolls, and concession fees! It is overseen by the turnpike board, appointed by the Governor, which is overseen by ODOT! Acquiring land right of ways, road and bridge construction, and maintenance, cost the same, no matter who pays from it! City, County, State, and Federal, roads and maintenance, are payed for by selling bonds, and tax payer money, no matter if the tax payer uses the road, or not! Turnpikes are payed for by the toll payers, that actually use the road!! That seems to be a more fair way to have good roads, to me?

Yeah okay whatever! They still suck balls

 

[CHenry]

iI'm not sure of the year either, but when OMES came into being and the wife's boss was promoted up, the wife was "designated" as "interim IT Division Director." She didn't get any pay increase, but just got more job requirements. For some reason, I want to think that she was "interim" for maybe a year and a half, but I won't swear by it. That would put OMES in place in either 2012 or 2013.

I think it was during Fallon.

 

[turkeyrun]

I avoid tolls if at all possible, but living near OKC that's a lot easier. Tulsa has maximized the effectiveness of tolls. In OKC you can go around every single one easily. I rarely take a toll road GOING somewhere like Chickasha, Lawton, B.A., but I'm usually outvoted on the trip home for the sake of expedience. I have family in B.A. that uses 4 or more tolls 6 or more days a week.
And I know it's conspiracy talk but it seems like every GPS we have is in cahoots with Pikepass. If you view the route going anywhere from Mustang, it wants you to take the toll road from S.15th to I40. That's half a mile. It's less than 45 seconds. But every single time, I have to override it.
View attachment 398875

The GPS system was set up for trucking, fastest, easiest route.

Navigation on Wif's car can be set for "shortest", "scenic", "most direct", "fastest" route. The setting may keep you from tolls, but doesn't guarantee a better way. Like all AI, it is only as good as the idiot setting it up.

 

[OkieMoe]

A couple of times when on one of the turnpikes, I have seen drivers in cars or pickups change lanes right at the point of the "overhead readers.." I'm not sure that they are successful, because if they good enough cameras, they may still be getting caught. Some camera lenses can be pretty wide, perhaps enough to pick up a tag in crossing the lanes.

I'll bet that camera shutter is faster than any lane change.