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South Dakota Department of Transportation

In South Dakota, the South Dakota Department of Transportation (“Department”) is the state agency that provides quality transportation system to satisfy diverse mobility needs in a cost effective manner while retaining concern for safety and the environment.  The Department is established pursuant to S.D. Codified Laws § 1-44-3.  The head of the Department of transportation is the secretary of transportation[i].

A transportation commission is created within the Department.  The transportation commission consists of nine members.  Eight of the members are appointed by the Governor and the ninth member is appointed by the Governor[ii].

The Department provides many key initiatives.  One such initiative is the Driver Licensing Program which is responsible for the issuance of South Dakota driver licenses to eligible constituents of this state.  The South Dakota Department of Public Safety Office of Driver Licensing is the principal agency for processing all traffic violations and any convictions resulting in suspensions or revocations of the license and privilege to drive.

The Department also administers the fuel taxes and the motor vehicle titling and licensing.  Fuel taxes are assessed on gasoline, ethanol blends, aviation fuel, jet fuel, liquid petroleum gas, and diesel fuel.  Depending on the use, dyed diesel fuel may be subject to sales tax.  Motor vehicle titling and licensing includes commercial and non-commercial vehicles as well as boats.  All vehicles operated on the public highways must be titled and licensed.

The Department also contracts annually with the tourism for the conduct of any and all tourism promotion programs to be undertaken by the Department[iii].  The authority of the Department also arranges and coordinates rail service that may be broadly and liberally construed.   The Department creates a special fund in the state treasury known as the railroads administration fund.  All rentals, fees, charges, and income received through the management of railroad property, both real and personal, are paid into the railroads administration fund[iv].

The Department takes responsibility in keeping citizens informed about the varying services that the South Dakota Highway Patrol provides is vital to our effectiveness as a law enforcement agency.  The Highway Patrol is committed to providing South Dakotans and web site visitors with the most current, timely, and comprehensive information available.

The Department establishes Office of Highway Safety which administers the Federal Highway Safety Grant Program in South Dakota that enables local or state agencies and non-profit organizations to develop and implement traffic safety programs.  The highway safety program is mainly designed to reduce the number of traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities occurring on South Dakota roadways.  The purpose of the highway safety effort is to minimize, as much as realistically possible, the economic and human loss that results from traffic crashes.

South Dakota Department of Transportation

[i] S.D. Codified Laws § 1-44-2.

[ii] S.D. Codified Laws § 1-44-4.

[iii] S.D. Codified Laws § 1-44-16.

[iv] S.D. Codified Laws § 1-44-31.


Inside South Dakota Department of Transportation