From The Detroit News: Detroit to get shuttle service between downtown, airport | The Detroit News (http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131110/METRO08/311100015#ixzz2lCFKJAnw)

I found the above link in today's Detroit News which tells of a shuttle company offering the first service between Detroit Metro/Wayne County Airport and downtown in 12 years. Part of the reason is below, and I wonder if similar impediments exist in OKC that dissuade a dedicated WRWA-to-CBD service, or if there simply isn't the demand to support it:

Airport officials who solicited informal interest at a meeting in August were heavily criticized by shuttle operators who said there were too many restrictions, citing a reluctance to offer an exclusive contract or granting an ability to operate a ticket counter for walk-up customers. Airport officials said they are unsure about the need to put out a formal request for bids if Shuttle of America provides the service without a contract.

The last company to offer shuttle service between downtown and the airport folded in 2001 after years of losing money. Limos and taxis charge passengers between $45 and $60 one way and each one pays an airport departure fee. The airport has a contract with Metro Cars and its affiliated Metro Cabs to transport passengers who walk up to the curb after they arrive.

Nope. In fact the city is proposing to eliminate transit to the airport all together.

Adding to my above post:

"Transit". 3 runs a day is not meaningful transit and is the reason ridership to the airport is so low.

Adding to my above post:

"Transit". 3 runs a day is not meaningful transit and is the reason ridership to the airport is so low.

2 much bigger reasons are 1. Out airport is very quick and easy to get to. And 2. Parking at the airport is very inexpensive

From the CBD, you could always walk to Bricktown, take a water taxi to end of the line, take a river cruiser to Meridian, then walk into one of those hotels like you're a guest and ask for a shuttle to the airport. :-)

2 much bigger reasons are 1. Out airport is very quick and easy to get to. And 2. Parking at the airport is very inexpensive

Those are very good points.

But a 100% increase in ridership would be an increase of 3 people per day. So...If we even had hourly service, it would be a huge improvement and generate more ridership potential.

One of the problems with front door bus service is the time it takes out of the fleet to go all the way to the terminal building. An efficiency I have thought about (and I believe you have mentioned in a post about airport rail service) is to have a transit stop at the consolidated rental car facility. The airport will have shuttles on 5 minute headways to and from the terminal building. Take advantage of that and shave time off of the city bus route.

Most the downtown hotels run shuttles to/from the airport for their guests.

Several hotels on I-40 & Meridian do the same.

I have always thought an express bus from downtown would be great.

Take I-40 west to Meridian. Then have regular stop service on Meridian between I-40 and SW 29th, and then limited stop service down to the airport.

The hotels along Meridian are very spread out, so a bunch of stops would be necessary considering people will be hauling luggage.

Straight to downtown would make more sense but even then, the hotels are more spread out than you may realize. Taking everyone to Santa Fe Station and letting them connect to the streetcar might work, though.


But keep in mind, most business travelers are on expense accounts and aren't likely to hop on a bus. Personally, I wouldn't do it.

I see business people on buses too but not often board a city bus at the airport with all their luggage.

I've done it, but hate it. I used to fly into Oakland then took a shuttle bus from the airport to the nearest BART station (this was before they extended BART to SFO).

When everyone else from my office traveled up there, they all took cabs or a limo.


I'm just saying I don't think there would be a high demand in OKC when there are some pretty easy and inexpensive options.

How much for Uber?? ;)