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Okla. City FD Receives Turnpike Violations
RUSTY SURETTE
News9
Reprinted with Permission
OKLAHOMA CITY - Turner Turnpike Authority recently issued several violations to the City of Oklahoma City Fire Department for vehicles that failed to pay toll fees while using a turnpike during a non-emergency.
Related
Oklahoma City firefighters argue a decades-old law is wasting valuable time for emergency responses.
OKC Fire Department vehicles are not equipped with Pikepasses, but they are allowed to use the turnpikes free of charge if, and only if, they are responding to an emergency.
"They can also use the turnpikes for free if they are returning from an emergency call that was related to the turnpike," said Turnpike Authority spokesman Jack Damrill. "If they are returning from an emergency that isn't related to the turnpike, or for any other non-emergency reason, they have to pay just like everyone else."
Several firefighters, who wish to remain anonymous, claim the rules are not fair because the turnpike is sometimes the quickest way to get back to their fire station and district.
"We shouldn't have to pay to use the turnpike because it allows us to get back to where we need to be for the next call for help," said one firefighter.
The fire department is working with Pikepass for ways to resolve the current tickets issued.
News9
Reprinted with Permission
OKLAHOMA CITY - Turner Turnpike Authority recently issued several violations to the City of Oklahoma City Fire Department for vehicles that failed to pay toll fees while using a turnpike during a non-emergency.
Related
Oklahoma City firefighters argue a decades-old law is wasting valuable time for emergency responses.
OKC Fire Department vehicles are not equipped with Pikepasses, but they are allowed to use the turnpikes free of charge if, and only if, they are responding to an emergency.
"They can also use the turnpikes for free if they are returning from an emergency call that was related to the turnpike," said Turnpike Authority spokesman Jack Damrill. "If they are returning from an emergency that isn't related to the turnpike, or for any other non-emergency reason, they have to pay just like everyone else."
Several firefighters, who wish to remain anonymous, claim the rules are not fair because the turnpike is sometimes the quickest way to get back to their fire station and district.
"We shouldn't have to pay to use the turnpike because it allows us to get back to where we need to be for the next call for help," said one firefighter.
The fire department is working with Pikepass for ways to resolve the current tickets issued.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jayson Spencer on
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well if jack damrill"s house was on fire and the department was returning back would he want them to stop and pay the tolls? to me if it pertains to the department it shouldnt matter! if they wanna be that way about maybe they should get a fire dept on the turnpike and leave the okc boys alone. i believe it would cost more to build a station hire firefighters and get the epuiptment to start one then it would be fo the okc firedept. not to pay the tolls. is it really worth it to make a big fuss over it. my god oklahoma turnpike authority needs to grow up .
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Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on
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Thats bs! The OKC Fire Department vehicles should be equipped with Pikepasses! I can't blame the Turnpike for wanting money to travel on the road. But the money no how no way should come out of the firefighters pocket!! They ride city vehicles there for its the citys responsability for the fee.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Koontz on
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Ahhh, another intelligent argument from a city agency. Gotta love it when road idjits do crap like this. Kinda strange, they loved the dept a few years ago when that big building got blown up, didn't they?
Funny how people forget little things like that just to get their names in the news. So does this mean when they require the fire dept, OKC Fire should charge them?
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Permalink Reply by Patrick J Cronen on
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Easy Solution is to charget he Turnpike for the fire service they are providing..This should give the fireman enough to not have to to boot drives with the fees they should charge...
pj
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Permalink Reply by Ronald Naab on
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Since the toll ways don't pay local property tax, much as the railroads, then every call that fire or EMS that is funded by stated dollars should charge the toll system accordingly. At $500.00/hour/apparatus and $30.00/manhour, I wouls suspect the fire departments could be provided with a very nice debt card to be used for the tolls.
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Permalink Reply by Oldman on
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The Toll Road Authority in Houston gave all departments an EZ Tag, (the equivalent of the Pikepass) until a local TV reporter made a big stink about it. The point of his report was that department vehicles were being used for personal business. So the TRA installed cameras which reads the license plates and matches them to a database. So the effect is the same, except we no longer have the tags in the windshield. Government logic.
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