The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority held its monthly meeting Tuesday and provided an update on how the body is working towards a statewide cashless payment system.
KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.
38 states in the US have some form of toll roads, although a unique aspect of Oklahoma’s turnpike system is that it still accepts cash from both real, live people and automated systems.
Most states that operate toll roads exclusively accept digital forms of currency such as Oklahoma Pike Pass that are linked to a credit card.
States also provide a phone number if drivers don’t have a pass so that you can be billed later. Many states, including New York, are completely automated.
Oklahoma’s Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz spoke about the state’s cashless turnpike expansion Tuesday.
“Once Muskogee converts to cashless, the only remaining turnpike to Plate Pay will be I-44, Will Rogers, I-44 Turner, and the Indian Nations. And those are all expected to be converted by the end of 2024 and we certainly believe that that goal is achievable.”
The Oklahoma Transportation Authority operates 12 turnpikes. OTA also reported that net toll revenues from the turnpike system for June of this year at approximately 33.6 million dollars or an increase of 3.4 percent compared to June of 2022.
The committee's next meeting is Tuesday, September 12.
