The Oklahoma secretary of transportation is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The secretary is appointed by the governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the governor. The secretary serves as the chief advisor to the governor on land, water, air and space traffic transportation needs and infrastructure.
The latest secretary of transportation was Tim Gatz, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, who was appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt in 2019. In 2024, following an Attorney General's Opinion, Gatz resigned his position as Secretary of Transportation, leaving the position vacant.
History The position of Secretary of Transportation was established in 1986 to provide greater oversight and coordination to the agricultural activities of the state government. The position was established, along with the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet, by the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986. The act directed the secretary of transportation to advise the governor on transportation needs and infrastructure policy and advise the state transportation agencies on new policy as directed by the governor.
Dual position Oklahoma state law allows for cabinet secretaries to serve concurrently as the head of a state agency in addition to their duties as a cabinet secretary. Historically, the secretary of transportation has also served as either the director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation or as the director of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. As of 2024, seven of the eight transportation secretaries have served in one of those dual positions, with three serving in all three.
NameOther position held (if any)Neal McCalebDirector, Oklahoma Department of TransportationDelmas FordNeal McCalebDirector, Oklahoma Department of TransportationDirector, Oklahoma Turnpike AuthorityHerschal CrowDirector, Oklahoma Department of TransportationDirector, Oklahoma Turnpike AuthorityPhil TomlinsonDirector, Oklahoma Turnpike AuthorityGary RidleyDirector, Oklahoma Department of TransportationDirector, Oklahoma Turnpike AuthorityMike PattersonExecutive Director, Oklahoma Department of TransportationTim GatzExecutive Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation Executive Director, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority
However, on February 28, 2024, Attorney General of Oklahoma Gentner Drummond issued an Attorney General's Opinion that held that state officers in Oklahoma could not hold more than one office at a time. https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/oag/documents/opinions/ag-opinions/2024/ag_opinion_2024-5_z-36-2.pdf In response to this directive, Secretary Gatz resigned his position, and was reappointed by Governor Kevin Stitt as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Responsibilities The secretary of transportation is responsible for the construction, maintenance, and regulation of state's transportation system. This infrastructure includes rail lines, state highways, state turnpikes, state seaports, state airports and state spaceports.
As of fiscal year 2011, the secretary of transportation oversees 3478 full-time employees and is responsible for an annual budget of over $1.9 billion.
Agencies overseen The secretary of transportation oversees the following state agencies:
Seal Agency Employees Budget (in millions) FunctionAeronautics Commission 10 $5.7 Promotes aviation throughout the state by supporting the establishment and maintenance of public airports Department of Transportation 2488 $1,596 Responsible for the construction, maintenance, and regulation the use of the state's public highway, rail, and waterway transportation infrastructure Space Industry Development Authority 3 $0.4 Responsible for the development of a state-owned public spaceport Turnpike Authority 681 $223.8 Responsible for the construction, maintenance, and regulation the use of the state's turnpike infrastructure
All numbers represented Fiscal Year 2011 levels
Salary The secretary of transportation is one of the few cabinet secretaries whose annual salary is not set by law. As such, it is left to the governor to determine the position's salary through the annual budget. Despite this, if the secretary serves as the head of a state agency, the secretary receives the higher of the two salaries. What makes incumbent Secretary Gary Ridley's example unique is that he serves as both the head of the Transportation Department (ODOT) and the director of the Turnpike Authority (OTA). As such, he receives the salaries allowed to both positions.
List of secretaries #NameTook officeLeft officeGovernor served under1Neal McCaleb19871991Henry Bellmon2Delmas Ford19911995David Walters3Neal McCaleb19952001Frank Keating4Herschal Crow200120035Phil Tomlinson20032009Brad Henry6 Gary Ridley2009201120112017Mary Fallin7Mike Patterson201720198Tim Gatz2019PresentKevin Stitt
References
External links Members of the Governor's Cabinet State biography of Cabinet Secretary Gary Ridley