Texas Tags

[rondvu]

I am in a quandary because of all the Texas tags around. It seems like every 8th tag is from Texas. I remember back in the late 80's and early 90's there were lots of Oregon tags. I heard it was something with fees and or taxes. That many Texans can't be visiting or just moving to the area. Please educate me as to why. Thanks in advance.

[Andrew4OU]

Do you drive near Norman? It seems like every other car has a Texas plate. This is due to OU's nearly 20% Texan student population.

[adaniel]

You do realize that all three of Oklahoma City's interstates either orginiate or pass through some portion of Texas. So pretty much all traffic that needs to move north out of that state moves through OKC (with a small portion headed NE into Arkansas).

[bluedogok]

Tags are no longer significantly cheaper in Texas like they were 20 or so years ago. I know car insurance is higher down here. I know that I see a few Oklahoma plates daily down here in Austin, you see plenty of them in the DFW area.

I heard the reason why there were so many Oregon plates years ago was that they were very cheap and they had an easy military renewal program. Most military people that I knew in OK that had been through Oregon at some point had Oregon plates. I don't think it is the same in Oregon anymore.

[poe]

We have plenty of Oklahoma tags in Amarillo. Lots of people coming in daily from Guymon, Elk City and the like.

[okcpulse]

I am in a quandary because of all the Texas tags around. It seems like every 8th tag is from Texas. I remember back in the late 80's and early 90's there were lots of Oregon tags. I heard it was something with fees and or taxes. That many Texans can't be visiting or just moving to the area. Please educate me as to why. Thanks in advance.

There are two variables that can - to an extent - answer your question. First, in 2007, more than 27,800 Texans moved to Oklahoma. However, 27,100 Oklahomans moved to Texas in the same year. So, we netted 700 from that huge swap.

Second, I learned from living in Texas, and this surprised me, a lot of people from DFW purchase their cars in Oklahoma. Under Texas law, the 6.25% sales tax on cars and trucks is due up front at the time of purchase. In Oklahoma, the tax has a 30 day grace period. Coincidentally, Texas law states that any vehicle purchased out of state has a 30 day grace period.

So, people in Texas found a loop-hole to buy them an extra 30 days to pay the hefty 6.25% tax on the vehicle purchase. However, it is isolated to northern Texas and does not happen enough to warrant the Texas legislature to change the law.

[feconi]

There are two variables that can - to an extent - answer your question. First, in 2007, more than 27,800 Texans moved to Oklahoma. However, 27,100 Oklahomans moved to Texas in the same year. So, we netted 700 from that huge swap.

Where did you get this information?

[okcpulse]

IRS posts state-to-state migration on Excel spreadsheets.

[decepticobra]

You do realize that all three of Oklahoma City's interstates either orginiate or pass through some portion of Texas. So pretty much all traffic that needs to move north out of that state moves through OKC (with a small portion headed NE into Arkansas).

Thats due to geography and the way the political state lines are drawn in that all southern state borders of Oklahoma are bounded by Texas, and virtually all western borders are as well except for a small fraction of New Mexico/Oklahoma border that virtually no living soul passes through.

Thats like comparing FL/GA and being in GA wondering why there are so many FL plates in southern GA. Or being in NH or VT wondering why there are so many ME plates.

By the way, the new TX plates are horrendous. It looks like it was hand-drawn with colored pencils by an prisoner inmate then mailed off to be metallurgically illaminated.

[Urbanized]

If you've been noticing them specifically over the past couple of months, tourism likely has something to do with it. Over the past five or so years Oklahoma City and central Oklahoma have finally been discovered by Texans as a regional tourism destination. Amarillo, the Texas Panhandle, Wichita Falls and the like were here sooner, but the Dallas/Fort Worth area specifically has started coming here in droves over the past 3-5.

This year was particularly heavy, probably due to the economy. Since OKC is a drivable, regional draw, lots of people passed on trips to Vegas or Disneyworld and made shorter trips for fewer days and OKC fits the bill perfectly. The travel season peaked about 2-3 weeks ago, and area attraction attendance numbers reflect that.

Most people in OKC are totally oblivious as to what a large tourism destination we have become, quite recently.

[OKCTalker]

I remember back in the late 80's and early 90's there were lots of Oregon tags. I heard it was something with fees and or taxes.

Oregon's license fee was (still is?) significantly lower than Oklahoma's, so automobile owners would register in Oregon. On the registration form - under state of residence, they would write "OR" instead of "OK" - or something like that. I think (hope) that a lot of these people were caught - the net effect to the person is paying less taxes, but it enriches another state at Oklahoma's expense. Bad apples for sure.

[onthestrip]

The more texas tags driving around in Oklahoma the better. Because there have been many a car with OK tags driving around Texas spending money on that side of the river over the years.

[decepticobra]

If you've been noticing them specifically over the past couple of months, tourism likely has something to do with it. Over the past five or so years Oklahoma City and central Oklahoma have finally been discovered by Texans as a regional tourism destination. Amarillo, the Texas Panhandle, Wichita Falls and the like were here sooner, but the Dallas/Fort Worth area specifically has started coming here in droves over the past 3-5.

.

Its also plausible to assume that many of the Texas tags you see in Oklahoma are former Oklahomans who have since moved to Texas and are simply visiting family or friends back home.

The same can be applied vice versa in Texas.

[Urbanized]

Its also plausible to assume that many of the Texas tags you see in Oklahoma are former Oklahomans who have since moved to Texas and are simply visiting family or friends back home.

The same can be applied vice versa in Texas.

There's no question about that, and such has always been the case.

What I am talking about, however, is many thousands of people who now stream across the border to OKC and the surrounding area simply as tourists, with no ties to Oklahoma. It's a relatively new phenomenon. I know the concept baffles many people who live here, but it is a pretty massive influx.

I talk to people like this on a daily basis and have for most of the past decade, so I'm no longer surprised by it, but the increase over the past several years is still pretty amazing. It corresponds to the decline in abuse that Oklahoma tourism industry people get at Dallas travel shows.

I remember my first Dallas Travel and Leisure show and how many people came up and made snide, unsolicited remarks along the lines of "why would I ever come to Oklahoma to visit?" It was especially true in Dallas and less marked in Fort Worth. Now more often than not they come up and chat about how much they love it here, how family-friendly it is, or how they have family members who rave about it and they plan to visit. We are definitely making perception inroads south of the border.

[rondvu]

There's no question about that, and such has always been the case.

What I am talking about, however, is many thousands of people who now stream across the border to OKC and the surrounding area simply as tourists, with no ties to Oklahoma. It's a relatively new phenomenon. I know the concept baffles many people who live here, but it is a pretty massive influx.

I talk to people like this on a daily basis and have for most of the past decade, so I'm no longer surprised by it, but the increase over the past several years is still pretty amazing. It corresponds to the decline in abuse that Oklahoma tourism industry people get at Dallas travel shows.

I remember my first Dallas Travel and Leisure show and how many people came up and made snide, unsolicited remarks along the lines of "why would I ever come to Oklahoma to visit?" It was especially true in Dallas and less marked in Fort Worth. Now more often than not they come up and chat about how much they love it here, how family-friendly it is, or how they have family members who rave about it and they plan to visit. We are definitely making perception inroads south of the border.

This is really interesting to know. Can you tell us what are the Texans coming to see in Oklahoma especially Oklahoma City? If they are spending money then I love Texans. TEXANS we love you and your money.

[jbrown84]

By the way, the new TX plates are horrendous. It looks like it was hand-drawn with colored pencils by an prisoner inmate then mailed off to be metallurgically illaminated.

I just looked it up and they look worse than our state quarter.

[Urbanized]

This is really interesting to know. Can you tell us what are the Texans coming to see in Oklahoma especially Oklahoma City? If they are spending money then I love Texans. TEXANS we love you and your money.

Well, it tends to be more because there are lots of quality attractions rather than because of one single attraction. But in no particular order (well, except for the first), I would say these are the main attractions they are visiting:

• Oklahoma City National Memorial (international interest)
• National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum (appeals more to people from other parts of the country and world, though)
• Bricktown (developing strong regional and in some cases national reputation)
• Oklahoma City Museum of Art (lots of recognition due to permanent Chihuly exhibit and strong traveling exhibits including current Turner to Cézanne, which is important enough for people to travel to)
• Myriad Botanical Gardens/Crystal Bridge tropical conservatory (a real treasure that most locals don't consider)
• OKC Zoo (consistently rated one of the top in the country including top 3 for children by Child magazine)
• Sam Noble Museum of Natural History in Norman (world-class, including several world-record fossils)
• Fred Jones, Jr. Museum of Art in Norman (largest collection of French Impressionist art given to a publich university, ever)
• Other Adventure District museums and attractions

You can see how many on that list are kid-oriented. Add the Jasmine Moran Children's Museum in Seminole and Science Museum Oklahoma (formerly Omniplex), and a family can bring their kids up here and fill 3-4 days really inexpensively, and have a great time. They can also include Frontier City and Whitewater Bay in their visit. Granted, those in DFW have similar options that meet or exceed those places in size, but kids won't complain about including stops at these places on a summer trip. People from the Texas panhandle and west Texas just see them as great venues, often closer than Dallas.

Also, those who dig a little deeper will find some hidden gems in town like the Red Earth Museum, the amazing new facilities at the Oklahoma History Center and the Oklahoma Heritage Center (the last two probably have more appeal within the state itself or to foreign visitors).

Last but not least, there are tons of great outlying towns easily accessed by interstate highway, including Norman, Guthrie, Shawnee, El Reno, Stillwater and others who have small-town charm and one or two (or ten) interesting attractions. A family can keep themselves really busy up here for a week or more, and not break the bank. You can find a listing of more attractions and activities by visiting the websites of the Frontier Country Marketing Association and the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Also, it can't be understated how much tourism from Texans has been brought about by Oklahoma casino development. That broke the ice for a lot of people, and once they were here, they decided to see if there was anything else to do.

Also, while I don't think it is necessarily a big draw for Texans, you can't imagine how many foreign visitors and people from other parts of the U.S. come through because of Route 66. We talk to people several times a day, every day, in Bricktown from places like Sweden, the U.K., Japan, and elswhere. OKC residents for the most part really have no idea how huge the tourism market is in our town, especially during the summer. And it really is a fairly recent development, at least to the extent to which it exists today.

[benman]

Yep, their license plate is bad, but our new plate is worse.
Pretty sure we didnt get to vote on ours. If there was a vote, then I stand corrected and will stop complaining about our terrible looking plate.

[bluedogok]

I kind of like both states new plates, they came out with the new ones down here about 2 months after I bought my car so I have the old ones...still hate the front license plate though, I liked not having one in OK.

[mmonroe]

Awesome.

[metro]

I talked to the owner of Bricktown Candy Co. yesterday. He said an UNBELIEVEABLE amount of business comes from folks visiting from Amarillo. Just FYI.

[OKCMallen]

Amarillo is about 4 hours to OKC....we might be the largest city to them under 5 hours away.

[Luke]

Amarillo is about 4 hours to OKC....we might be the largest city to them under 5 hours away.

What, there's no candy in Amarillo?

[jbrown84]

Yep, their license plate is bad, but our new plate is worse.
Pretty sure we didnt get to vote on ours. If there was a vote, then I stand corrected and will stop complaining about our terrible looking plate.

Yes we got to vote on ours, and it's not GREAT, but it's way better than this new Texas one.

you can't imagine how many foreign visitors and people from other parts of the U.S. come through because of Route 66. We talk to people several times a day, every day, in Bricktown from places like Sweden, the U.K., Japan, and elswhere. OKC residents for the most part really have no idea how huge the tourism market is in our town, especially during the summer. And it really is a fairly recent development, at least to the extent to which it exists today.

I can attest to this as well. Just the other day I saw several 20-something guys downtown together toting a big fat Lonely Planet Estados Unidos guidebook.

[westsidesooner]

Yep, their license plate is bad, but our new plate is worse.
Pretty sure we didnt get to vote on ours. If there was a vote, then I stand corrected and will stop complaining about our terrible looking plate.

There was a vote/contest....http://www.okctalk.com/politics/1183...-your-say.html