Oklahoma Announces State of Emergency in Response to Drought

The water distribution problem continues. As recovery from Hurricane Ian happens in the easternmost states, other states are suffering from a lack of water. The latest to join the trend is Oklahoma, upon which the governor has declared a State of Emergency.

Hey, Hay!

The typical Declaration is all about hours-of-service exemptions provided the driver does not feel tired and takes a ten-hour break once he or she is finished. While that is the case here, the Declaration from Oklahoma has other exemptions as well. This includes licensing for registration, Authority, and the hauling of hay.

Normally, shipments of hay within Oklahoma’s state borders have specific regulations that are being shelved:

• Normally the load is limited by 12’ in width by 14’ in height, but now there is no such restriction provided the driver can properly secure the hay.
• Vehicles hauling so much hay usually require an “Oversized Load” sign on both the back and the front. While this is exempted, the sheer amount of hay should speak for itself.
• While vehicles carrying drought-relieving hay will not be stopped by law enforcement when crossing bridges and traveling under overpasses, the Declaration states that the driver must use their due diligence in deciding whether or not they will be able to fit within engineering restrictions. If the sign says the bridge is only eleven feet tall, no State of Emergency is going to make your hay travel through solid matter!

Despite the emphasis on hay hauling, the licensing exemptions and hours-of-service exemptions apply to all.

Conclusion

Governor Kevin Stitt signed the Declaration on October 11th and will be enabled until thirty days after, on the 11th of November.

Now that we have covered another state in need of water, it is once again imperative to bring up the water distribution problem and how to solve it. If the United States federal government wants to develop a project of a major pipeline, surely truckers would be more than willing to lend a hand in delivering the necessary materials to make it a reality. Such a concept may seem absurd, but with California entering its third year of its latest drought, governments are going to have to get creative.

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