Embark (transit authority)

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EMBARK
Embark.png
Embark New Flyer Xcelsior CNG bus 2102 on Robinson Ave in 2021.jpg
EMBARK bus 2102, a 2021-built New Flyer compressed natural gas bus
ParentCentral Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority
Founded1966 (from 1992 as Metro Transit, from 2014 as EMBARK)
Headquarters2000 S. May Ave, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Locale Oklahoma City
Service area Oklahoma City metropolitan area
Service type Transit bus, Paratransit, trolley, tram
Routes
  • Bus: 22
  • Streetcar: 2
Hubs2
Stations1
Fleet71 (2024)
Daily ridership10,100 (weekdays, Q3 2024) [1]
Annual ridership2,888,600 (2023) [2]
Fuel type Diesel, Hybrid, CNG, Electric
Chief executiveJason Ferbrache
Website embarkok.com

Embark (styled all caps as EMBARK) is the public transit agency of the COTPA (Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority) trust, the largest transit agency in the state of Oklahoma. Embark has 20 interconnecting bus routes covering the city of Oklahoma City and parts of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area, including weekday Express service from Norman to Downtown Oklahoma City. Embark also operates paratransit, the Oklahoma City Streetcar, downtown public parking, bike share, and river ferry services. Additionally, Embark provides administrative and executive support for the Regional Transportation Authority of Central Oklahoma. [3]

Contents

In 2023, the system had a ridership of 2,888,600, or about 10,100 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.

History

The Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority was established on February 1, 1966, by the Oklahoma City Council to continue transit service as private operator Oklahoma Transportation Company, which provided bus service to the community, as City Bus Company, had announced it would discontinue transit service due to low ridership. There were initially only 18 buses, all leased from the Oklahoma Transportation Company (OTC). [4]

The system was rebranded as MassTrans in 1975 [4] and used that name until 1992, when it was rebranded as Metro Transit, [5] though the official name remains in use as well.

COTPA was reorganized in 1989, when the city established a Transit Services division to provide senior management through an inter-local operating agreement. COTPA also purchased the historic Union Station in Downtown Oklahoma City, which served as an administrative office until 2022. [4]

Embark previously operated "Oklahoma Spirit Trolleys", a trolley-replica bus network from 1999 to 2020. [6]

Oklahoma City's downtown transit center at N.W. 4th St. and Hudson Ave. opened to customers in 2004 after the previous transit hub was demolished to make way for construction of the Paycom Center. [7]

A 2009 Gillig Low Floor bus, repainted for the change from Metro to Embark, in service in 2021. Oklahoma City Embark 40-ft Gillig Low Floor bus 0914 on NW 4th in 2021.jpg
A 2009 Gillig Low Floor bus, repainted for the change from Metro to Embark, in service in 2021.

In September 2013, it was announced that Metro Transit would change its name to Embark, effective April 28, 2014, and include a new bus route system.

On October 15, 2015, Embark announced that it would begin offering free Wi-Fi on all buses, on all routes. [8] [9]

In August 2016, Embark received the award for "North America's Outstanding Public Transportation System" by the American Public Transportation Association for systems providing fewer than 4 million annual passenger trips. [10]

In December 2018, Embark began operation of Oklahoma City Streetcar, the state's only modern streetcar system, which services a nearly five-mile route in the urban core. [11]

On January 27, 2019, Sunday bus service was implemented for the first time in Oklahoma City public transportation history, utilizing the same operational routes and schedules as maintained on Saturdays. On Monday, September 2, 2019 (Labor Day), Embark buses began operating on all major holidays, resulting in the area's public transportation service operating 365 days a year for the first time; the authority utilizes the same schedule and active routes used on weekends during major holidays.

Interior of a 2022 New Flyer XN40 bus used for the RAPID NW BRT service. EMBARK 2221 interior.jpg
Interior of a 2022 New Flyer XN40 bus used for the RAPID NW BRT service.

In 2022, Embark broke ground on construction of RAPID NW , Oklahoma City's first Bus Rapid Transit route. [12] Service opened on December 3, 2023.

Fares

No fare to riders 18 and under with EMBARK's Haul Pass Program. Eligible riders can fill out an application for Haul Pass.

EMBARK offers Reduced Fare for persons 65 and older, persons on Medicare and persons with a qualifying disability. They are also known as Special Patrons.

All buses have driver shields to minimize interaction.

Oklahoma City local fare (Single Ride)

Regular: $1.75 – Special Patron: $0.75

Express Service (OKC to Norman)

Regular: $3 – Special Patron: $1.50

One express route serves Norman on Monday through Friday only. Service in the City of Edmond will no longer be provided by Embark effective June 30, 2009. The City of Edmond's new Citylink service began July 1, 2009. Citylink comes to the EMBARK Transit Center twice daily during the week at 7:50am and 4:50pm.

OKC Streetcar

Regular: $3 – Special Patron: $1.50

Passes

All passes are universal and can be used for both local, express, streetcar, and RAPID NW.

Annual Pass – Regular: $600 – Special Patron - $300
30-Day Pass – Regular: $50 – Special Patron: $25
24-Hour Pass – Regular: $4 – Special Patron: $2
7-Day Pass – Regular: $14 – Special Patron: $7

Routes

Embark currently operates fixed-route bus service in Oklahoma City and bus routes in Norman that were previously operated by Cleveland Area Rapid Transit, along with an express route between Norman and Downtown Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City routes

Embark's downtown transit center, at NW 4th and Hudson. Embark Transit Center - Oklahoma City 2021.jpg
Embark's downtown transit center, at NW 4th and Hudson.
A high-floor bus (type Orion V), carrying a bike on the front, in 2007. Oklahoma City bus.jpg
A high-floor bus (type Orion V), carrying a bike on the front, in 2007.

Norman routes

The Embark Norman Transfer Station is currently located on Brooks Street, just east of Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on the University of Oklahoma campus. A new transit center in downtown Norman is currently under construction by the City of Norman. [14] [15]

Former routes

An unusual aspect of Embark was the Link program, which is a combination of owl service and paratransit service. Since regularly scheduled routes operate only until about 8pm local time, and not at all Sundays, Link provides nominally fixed route service from 7 pm until 12 midnight Monday through Saturday, and Sunday from 7 am until 7 pm. The four routes may however, deviate by as much as three-quarters of a mile from the fixed route if the customer notifies Embark by 4 pm the day before (or by 12 noon Saturday for Monday service). An additional fee will be charged in that instance, but customers using the fixed stops will be charged the normal fare. The Link was discontinued in April 2014 as Embark began extending hours on 5 routes (see below), as well as adding Sunday and holiday service on most bus routes in 2019.

Fleet

As of early 2024, the Embark OKC fleet consists of 71 buses: 62 fixed-route buses and nine RAPID BRT buses. The fleet consists of 58% CNG buses, 37% diesel buses, 2% hybrid buses and 3% electric buses, with a goal to become 100% alternative-fueled fleet by 2025. The fleet has an average age of 7.7 years (revenue), with an average of 367,386 lifetime miles per vehicle. [16] Much of the current Embark fleet can be referenced in the table below.

Fleet number(s)PhotoModel YearManufacturerModelPowertrainNotes
0901-0913 EMBARK 0911.jpg 2009 Gillig BRT 35'
  • Currently being retired.
0914-0915 Oklahoma City Embark 40-ft Gillig Low Floor bus 0914 on NW 4th in 2021.jpg 2009 Gillig Low Floor 40' Suburban
  • Currently being retired.
1101-1107 EMBARK 1102.jpg 2010 Gillig BRT 35'
1180-1181 EMBARK 1180.jpg 2011 New Flyer C40LFR
12002012
(built in 2011)
Nova Bus LFS HEV
  • Originally built as a Nova Bus demonstrator bus.
1301-1306 Embark OKC 30-foot Gillig low-floor bus 1301 on NW 4th St (2021).jpg 2012 Gillig BRT 29'
1307-1310 EMBARK 1310.jpg 2012 Gillig BRT 35'
1311-1312 EMBARK 1311.jpg 2013 Gillig Low Floor 40'
1313-1316 EMBARK 1315.jpg 2014 Gillig Low Floor 40'
1601-1606 EMBARK 1602.jpg 2016 New Flyer XN40
1701-1711 EMBARK 1708.jpg 2017 New Flyer XN40
20002020 New Flyer XE35
2002-2003 EMBARK 2002.jpg 2020 New Flyer XN40
2102-2109 EMBARK 2109.jpg 2021 New Flyer XN40
22002022 New Flyer XE40
2201-2207 EMBARK 2202.jpg 2022 New Flyer XN40
2220-2228 EMBARK 2227.jpg 2022 New Flyer XN40

See also

References

  1. "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. "Homepage". Regional Transportation Authority of Central Oklahoma. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "History | METRO Transit Providing Central Oklahoma Transportation & Bus Service Options". Archived from the original on 2010-07-20. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  5. "History | METRO Transit Providing Central Oklahoma Transportation & Bus Service Options". Archived from the original on 2010-07-18. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  6. "Oklahoma Spirit Trolleys | City of OKC".
  7. "Paycom Center | City of OKC".
  8. "OKC Transit Gets Smarter" (Press release). Embark. October 15, 2015. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  9. "OKC Transit Gets Smarter". Mass Transit. October 15, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2015-10-18.
  10. "Embark Wins National Award". KWTV-DT (News 9). August 18, 2016. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  11. "Oklahoma City Streetcar | City of OKC".
  12. 1 2 "RAPID".
  13. 1 2 3 "Bus Schedule Details | METRO Transit Providing Central Oklahoma Transportation & Bus Service Options". Archived from the original on 2013-10-02.
  14. "Transit Bus Operations".
  15. "Norman - EMBARK".
  16. "EMBARK".
  17. "EMBARK opens new CNG filling station".
  18. "RAPID".