A Congressional subcommittee exploring the government’s attempt to create an EV and alternative fuel movement nationwide was cautioned by an official of Oklahoma City-based Love’s Travel Stops to allow private enterprise and consumers develop the transition…not the government., an Oklahoma City engineering and architectural firm founded in 1928, is set to move

Guernsey, an Oklahoma City engineering and architectural firm founded in 1928, is set to move its headquarters downtown as anchor of a $115 million development at the gateway to Midtown and Automobile Alley. 

The company employs 165 people and is currently at 5555 N Grand in a building co-owned by Integris. Jared Stigge, CEO, said the company’s choice to move reflects changes in how employees view workplaces, the competition for talent and how the firm interacts with its clients. 

While governors, chiefs, mayors and other elected officials often gain the lion’s share of public attention, most of the everyday work of government happens quietly behind the scenes.

More than 345,000 Oklahomans work for their fellow residents as employees of federal, tribal, state and local government entities in our state.

Teachers, policemen, firefighters, engineers, construction workers, maintenance workers, scientists, nutritionists and other neighbors too numerous to mention here are doing the important daily work of government.

Chickasaw Nation employees are part of this work, as they cooperate with local, state and federal employees to improve education, enhance public safety, build and maintain roads and bridges, improve water treatment systems, promote economic development, create jobs and enhance the overall quality of life.

When Larry Rooney was 15, he began working for his family business, pouring concrete for what was to become the multistory garage at Fine Airport Parking.

“I was probably too young to even be there working (legally),” he said. “I just got a feel for it, and then I sort of already knew construction was a great business.”

Today, Rooney is president of Tulsa-based Manhattan Construction Group, one of the largest family-owned construction companies in the U.S.

Manhattan’s impact can be seen in hundreds of iconic buildings, road projects and other works, including NFL stadiums, the Oklahoma Capitol dome, Fiesta Texas theme park, the BOK Center, the Cox Business Convention Center and the current home of Tulsa City Hall.

On Tuesday, Love’s Travel Stops announced plans for major expansion of their new truck wash services.

Just a few weeks ago, Love’s announced the opening of the company’s first-ever truck wash in Harrisonville, Missouri. On June 27, Love’s announced that a second truck wash is now open for business in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.

The company also anticipates opening truck washes in Hazen, Arkansas, and Prescott, Arkansas, soon. More truck washes are expected to open at truck stop and Speedco locations over the next two years.

Love’s says that the new truck wash locations “are equipped with automated technology and are expected to provide the same quality as a hand wash but in half the time of other truck washes in the industry

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The Oklahoma Mobility Institute (OMI), a connected organization to the Oklahoma Transit Association (OkTA), has been awarded a $10,000 local coalition grant from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), said executive director Andrea Ball.

“OMI is a relatively new organization, and we are honored to receive this funding from APTA to further our mission of helping to facilitate an unparalleled transportation ecosystem with advanced mobility connectivity through shared resources and interorganizational partnerships,” said Andrea Ball. 

The grant funding will be used along with seed money from OKTA to support a Mobility Summit Listening Session for the State of Oklahoma to learn what services and support are required by transit providers. It will help OMI to develop tactics to achieve its goals over the next three to five years to advance transportation equity, inclusion, and mobility access for all Oklahomans. 

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DURANT, Okla. (KTEN) — The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma's Beyond Program has obtained approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to test drones with "beyond visual line of sight" technology.

"Right now, drone rules limit a pilot or operator to only flying the drone as far as they can see the drone," said James Grimsley, executive director of advanced technology initiatives for the Choctaw Nation. "They have to keep their eyes on the drone and can't fly any farther. This allows us to fly a lot longer distances."

One goal of this program is attempting to supplement and even replace trucks with delivery drones in rural areas. It could also make search and rescue operations easier and safer, and assist farmers when locating missing cattle or patrolling fences.

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Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores opened its 600th store Thursday, more than all but 13 other convenience-store retailers in the U.S.

The store is located in Perry, Oklahoma — about 64 miles north of Love’s headquarters of Oklahoma City — and is the company’s 81st location in the Sooner State. It is open 24/7 and fills more than 12,000 square-feet of space. 

In the forecourt, amenities include 60 truck parking spaces; 65 car parking spaces; six RV hookups; six diesel bays; an RV dump station; five showers; laundry facilities; a dog park; and more.

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A Chickasaw Nation community program was honored with an elite award by a national organization for achievements in the field of public safety.

The Chickasaw Nation Division of Education Car Seat Program received a 2020 Lifesaver Public Service Award presented by the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) during a July 29 ceremony.

The Lifesaver Public Service award is the highest public award that NHTSA presents to recognize and honor individuals and organizations for achievements in the field of traffic safety.

The Chickasaw Nation Car Seat program creates a safer environment for Chickasaw citizens and community members, said Brian Jones, deputy regional administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Mr. Jones, who presented the award, manages federal highway safety programs for Region 6, which includes Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and First American Nations.

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ARDMORE — When the Chickasaw Nation bought 160 acres of land near a decommissioned military airport north of town, tribal leaders recognized the potential of an industrial site halfway between Oklahoma City and Dallas. 

Years later, on Wednesday, the tribe and others announced a joint $124 million project to turn the rural land into an air, rail and ground shipping hub. 

Tribal leaders, city officials and business executives envision a distribution, storage and manufacturing zone that will bring thousands of jobs to southern Oklahoma and cut heavy traffic on highways between two of the region’s largest cities.

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The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma was recently announced as one of eight governments to continue working on a Federal Aviation Administration program to tackle remaining unmanned aircraft systems challenges.

Package deliveries, pipeline and powerline inspection, flood damage assessment, 911 call responses and even cattle counts are among those challenges imposed on the program.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced Friday the three-year Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP) successfully concluded on Oct. 25.

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. made an agreement in December 2019 to add Bell to the Choctaw Nation’s UAS IPP team and begin testing some of the Bell innovations and systems on trible property in rural southeastern Oklahoma.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – An Oklahoma volunteer fire department recently received a generous donation from a local company.

Dolese Bros. Co. recently donated a truck to the Mountain View Volunteer Fire Department.

“My team at the department and our community as a whole are deeply thankful for the generous donation from Dolese,” Mountain View Fire Department Chief Kevin Hooper said. “Reliable transportation and vehicles are paramount in effectively doing the work we do, our purpose is to serve the citizens of Mountain View and surrounding areas to the best of our ability and this donation helps us do that.”

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New Electrify America stations in Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Utah feature 28 chargers.

Reston, VA (August 18, 2020) – Electrify America, the largest open direct current (DC) fast-charging network in the U.S., today announced it will work with Love’s Travel Stops, the nation’s industry-leading travel stop network, to bring public ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to seven locations in six U.S. states.

The seven charging stations, located in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, Florida, New York and Arizona, will have a combined 28 EV chargers and be available for public use by early 2021 – with five locations already open. The most recent Love’s station opening in Salina, Utah, helped complete a cross-country route of Electrify America chargers spanning from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C.

“As we continue building charging stations at accessible sites, Love’s Travel Stops was a perfect fit because of its convenient locations near major highways,” said Rachel Moses, senior manager for site acquisition, development and strategy at Electrify America. “Providing EV drivers with the opportunity to charge their vehicles at Love’s locations will help instill confidence for longer interstate trips, and can encourage more consumers to consider making the switch to electric...”

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Morgan is responsible for leading and growing HNTB's presence in greater Kansas City, St. Louis, Oklahoma and Iowa.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 03, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Tim Morgan, PE, has been named HNTB Corporation's office leader for the firm's Central U.S. offices in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa. A vice president, Morgan has 15 years of technical expertise and leadership experience in transportation infrastructure in the region. He previously served as HNTB's Oklahoma practice leader for the past two years.

Morgan leads more than 200 multidisciplinary professionals in Kansas City; Overland Park, Kansas; St. Louis; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Bettendorf, Iowa. Employees deliver bridge, aviation, toll, highway, transit, rail, planning, program/construction management and other services to clients throughout the region.

"Tim brings a demonstrated track record of success on many of HNTB's most visible projects," said Michael Inabinet, PE, HNTB Central Region president. "His leadership skills, combined with deep technical knowledge and commitment to the communities we serve, are tremendous assets to our employees and clients..."

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David Streb was recently selected by the Board of Directors to be the President of Poe & Associates to succeed outgoing President Jim Benson who served as President from 2012-2019.

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David joined the Poe team in 2013 as Senior Vice President and the Oklahoma City Office Manager following retirement from ODOT after 27 years where he served as the Director of Engineering for 12 years.  David will lead the company of 70+ employees who specialize in large complex highway and bridge design work, transportation program management, survey, water system for municipalities and rural water districts, GIS, right of way, and utilities services.  Poe has offices in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Wichita to serve their clients. David has worked his entire career in the transportation industry and is also active outside of Poe by having recently served 3 years on the AOGC Board of Directors, currently serves at the Chair of the OKC Chamber Transportation committee, and serves on the ACEC (consulting engineers) partnering committee with ODOT. All of these efforts are dedicated to improve Oklahoma’s transportation system...

The American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) has named recipients of its 29th Annual "Excellence in Concrete Pavements" awards.

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These awards recognize quality concrete pavements constructed in the United States and Canada. The awards program encourages high-quality workmanship, quality and creativity in concrete pavement projects.

The award-winning projects were paved by 22 different contractors. Projects are located in 13 states or regions represented by ACPA-affiliated Chapters and State paving associations. Winners were determined by 40 professionals who devoted their time and expertise to serve as judges..

Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores added 95 truck parking spots in Oklahoma with the opening of a facility in El Reno on Nov. 8, according to a company press release.

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The 11,000-square-foot location about 27 miles outside Oklahoma City also created 50 jobs.

The parking spots are likely a relief to regional truckers; truck parking ranked fifth on a 2018 survey of top issues compiled by the American Transportation Research Institute.

Oklahoma City-based Love’s is the nation’s largest travel stop network, with more than 470 locations in 41 states, according to the company’s website. Founded in 1964, the company is family-owned and operated, and has more than 22,000 employees...