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Embark outlines service metrics, shelter upgrades and Rapid Northwest BRT performance
Summary
Embark leaders described transit modes (fixed route, BRT, paratransit, river ferry, street car), said peak weekday deployment is about 50 fixed-route buses plus seven rapid buses, reported shelter and stop upgrades (140 shelters done, 360 planned) and reaffirmed a free streetcar pilot through July 5 to boost ridership.
Christina Henkins, controller at Embark, and Armando Reyes, business development and public affairs manager, presented an overview of Embark's services, organization and ongoing projects at a city department spotlight session.
"Embark is our brand. It's our DBA," Reyes said, explaining the agency's legal name is the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority and that many Embark services operate under a public-trust model.
The presentation summarized modes and operations: Embark operates fixed-route buses, bus-rapid-transit (BRT) service, ADA paratransit (Embark Plus), river ferries/river cruises and the downtown street car. Presenters said on peak weekday service the system deploys about 50 fixed-route buses and seven rapid buses. They described 21 bus routes (five run until midnight) and said most routes operate seven days a week, with three routes being exceptions.
Service tools and customer experience were covered: Embark has an interactive route map and a new service-alert system riders can subscribe to for route-specific detours and delay notices. The agency is proceeding with a shelter-improvement program: phase one completed 140 shelters and phase two will add roughly 360 more, with a plan to add 500 improved stops under the MAPS 4 program; presenters gave the system-wide bus-stop total as 1,335.
On Rapid Northwest — launched December 2023 — presenters described a headway-based BRT with 32 platforms on a 9.5-mile route and reported the line reached a one-million-ride milestone and currently averages more than 1,400 daily rides. Rapid Northwest also receives game-day extensions to serve arena events.
Embark highlighted equity and senior services: in FY25 staff provided over 130,000 trips for seniors and riders with disabilities, including grocery and non-emergency medical trips and partnerships with social-service programs.
On the street car, presenters noted the system totals about 4.8 miles with weekday and weekend operating differences and promoted a free-ride pilot that runs through July 5. Customer-satisfaction survey results were cited: fixed-route satisfaction was reported at 77%, the street car at 96% and Rapid Northwest at 92%, each noted to index above national averages.
Video testimonials from riders underscored practical reliance on the system for medical appointments, work and daily errands.
The presenters closed by explaining trust governance (creation by city council, trust indentures, revenue-bond financing and separate fund administration) and invited attendees to take a QR-code survey and follow-up with Embark staff.
What happens next: Embark staff continue maps-related projects, shelter rollouts and service improvements; the free streetcar pilot runs through July 5 and further service changes will be communicated via service alerts and Embark’s online trip planner.
