# Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation

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.
| Name | Other position held (if any) |
| Neal McCaleb | Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation |
| Delmas Ford | |
| Neal McCaleb | Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation Director, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority |
| Herschal Crow | Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation Director, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority |
| Phil Tomlinson | Director, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority |
| Gary Ridley | Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation Director, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority |
| Mike Patterson | Executive Director, Oklahoma Department of Transportation |
| Tim Gatz | Executive 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. 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:
| Agency | Employees | Budget (in millions) | Function |
| Aeronautics 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

| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Governor served under |
| 1 | Neal McCaleb | 1987 | 1991 | Henry Bellmon |
| 2 | Delmas Ford | 1991 | 1995 | David Walters |
| 3 | Neal McCaleb | 1995 | 2001 | Frank Keating |
| 4 | Herschal Crow | 2001 | 2003 | Frank Keating |
| 5 | Phil Tomlinson | 2003 | 2009 | Brad Henry |
| 6 | Gary Ridley | 2009 | 2011 | Brad Henry |
| 6 | Gary Ridley | 2011 | 2017 | Mary Fallin |
| 7 | Mike Patterson | 2017 | 2019 | Mary Fallin |
| 8 | Tim Gatz | 2019 | Present | Kevin Stitt |