Oklahoma legislator continues efforts: Morgan pushes for permit 'one-

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Nov 1, 2006 by Janice Francis-Smith

Lawmakers have envisioned a trucking permit "one stop shop" agency for years, but the idea has yet to become a reality. State Rep. Danny Morgan, D-Prague, on Tuesday told members of the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee he will try again in 2007 to streamline the process.

Getting a permit for an overweight or oversized load is so difficult, some truckers may find it more economical to move their load illegally and pay a fine if they get caught, said Morgan. The continued growth of the trucking industry, coupled with the thriving oil and gas industry's increasing need to move heavy equipment, dictates that the problem will only get worse until something is done to streamline the process, he said.

Joe Gaspar of Independent Industries, a bridge-building company based in Meeker, said he's been on hold as long as two hours trying to call and get a permit from the Department of Public Safety. And when the lunch hour strikes, the automated phone system will hang up on you, said Steve Weaver of Earl-Le Dozer, based in Drumright.

Capt. Todd Blish of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said the Department of Public Safety currently has 12 clerks to issue about 120,000 permits per year. Since Public Safety implemented a new Internet-based system last year, the percentage of permits issued through the online system has risen from less than 8 percent to around 30 percent, but there are still significant delays.

Norman Hill of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said other states have implemented a comprehensive online permitting system that works almost instantaneously, but such a system could cost as much as $6 million.

Often, the route approved by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will direct trucks to drive miles out of the way in order to avoid weight restricted bridges and roads, said Gaspar. And even if you are able to get a permit, it seems the Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission enforcement officers are using "two different rule books," said Weaver. Gaspar said his drivers have been improperly ticketed by Highway Patrol officers. Once a truck loaded with bridge materials was fined as a mobile home, but the ticket was dismissed by the municipal court, he said.

Corporation Commission enforcement officers have been particularly zealous, said Weaver, adding that he had one truck that was stopped twice traveling a two-mile stretch of road. While tickets issued by Highway Patrol officers may be paid at a later date, fines issued by the commission must be paid immediately.

Currently, three state agencies are involved in the issuance and enforcement of trucking permits: the Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. That's an improvement over a few years ago, when the Oklahoma Tax Commission was also involved. On the heals of a bribery scandal within the Tax Commission's trucking division, the Legislature voted in 2004 to move the Tax Commission's trucking duties to the Corporation Commission.

The Department of Transportation was given authority over the state's weigh stations, where trucks are stopped and weighed to make sure their loads meet weight restrictions. However, the weigh stations had been neglected for decades and only a few are currently in use. The Legislature has yet to provide funding for the department to maintain the weigh stations.

Morgan suggested that the entire system for issuing trucking permits be moved to the Department of Transportation. But Hill said the problems with the system have little to do with which agency is put in charge.

"Whether they have it or we have it, it's not going to make any difference if it's not funded," said Hill.