Embark (OKC Metro Bus Service)

[David]

Definitely feels like a good development for the eventual growth of EMBARK into the regional transportation system.

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

I rode the bus today. Had some work done on the car, bus line right there and I live not far from the downtown bus station. Wasn't bad, everyone was masked, drivers polite, I used the Token app for my fares. Granted, I wasn't in a hurry, nice weather out, but it was fairly easy to do. I could have taken an Uber, but I wanted to try this.

[shawnw]

Good for you! Glad you tried it!

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

^^ Thanks. Growing up in Philly (like you) I was raised taking public transportation, I've no qualms. Really never had a reason to here until now, and it was available.

[shawnw]

Yep, took two buses and a train to get to school my last couple years of high school in Philly, so I get it.

[Plutonic Panda]

Embark unveiled their first electric bus:

https://twitter.com/oklahomatransit/...491020800?s=21

[HOT ROD]

very nice. hopefully we got more than just one. ...

[HFAA Alum]

As much as I like the idea of Embark getting electric buses, I would rather see them go in the direction of creating an intrastate high speed rail line or subway, namely a line running from Norman to Stillwater (North to South), and from Chocktaw to Yukon (East to West), with OKC being a centralized hub, And then have the same system running from Collinsville to Bixby (North to South), and Fair Oaks to Sand Springs (East to West) with Tulsa being a hub. Then connect the two hubs with a high speed rail to cut the travel time from an hour and a half to 45 minutes or less.

The problem is that there's too little options getting from one place to the other. Broadening the transportation system would allow for not only those other cities in between the named extremities to link up better and provide an ease of transport, freeing some traffic up between stops and encouraging better pedestrian accommodations of the cities involved. It would also promote job growth and population increase due to the ease of access between towns. Having buses through the state will help, but it won't completely solve the issue of travel time and traffic. A rail line is less likely to have interruption aside from snow and frost issues, which hinders road traffic anyways. Might as well have more than just the option of driving everywhere.

[5alive]

Awesome forward thinking ideas...need to be aggressive in securing infrastructure funding!

[Teo9969]

As much as I like the idea of Embark getting electric buses, I would rather see them go in the direction of creating an intrastate high speed rail line or subway, namely a line running from Norman to Stillwater (North to South), and from Chocktaw to Yukon (East to West), with OKC being a centralized hub, And then have the same system running from Collinsville to Bixby (North to South), and Fair Oaks to Sand Springs (East to West) with Tulsa being a hub. Then connect the two hubs with a high speed rail to cut the travel time from an hour and a half to 45 minutes or less.

The problem is that there's too little options getting from one place to the other. Broadening the transportation system would allow for not only those other cities in between the named extremities to link up better and provide an ease of transport, freeing some traffic up between stops and encouraging better pedestrian accommodations of the cities involved. It would also promote job growth and population increase due to the ease of access between towns. Having buses through the state will help, but it won't completely solve the issue of travel time and traffic. A rail line is less likely to have interruption aside from snow and frost issues, which hinders road traffic anyways. Might as well have more than just the option of driving everywhere.

Just don't see where the ridership is coming from for all of this. I'd love to see it, and if we can secure Fed funds to make it happen, then hopefully a build it and they will come type situation.

If we're footing the bill - the route just needs more beating hearts per square mile to justify it.

Also, not sure how getting some electric buses is really going to impact the economics here. Electric buses are hundreds of thousands of dollars discussions and a system like this is hundreds of millions of dollars discussions. I'd guess the price tag would get close to $10B.

[shawnw]

FYI as of this weekend the 18 is now 30 min headways on weekdays and now has weekend service. It was one of the last routes without 30 minute headways.

As someone that has had to take this route to get to two different medical places (that are in locations I'm not super comfortable riding my bike to, and generally I've been willing to ride just about anywhere), this will be helpful. The first time I took it I didn't realize it was only hourly and I got stuck somewhere (inadvertently took the last bus) and had to Uber back. New headway will be helpful. Also I recently tried to donate blood at the Lincoln center but there was no weekend bus route so I rode my bike but then couldn't lock up anywhere (no racks nearby and not even a good fence or pole to use) and they wouldn't let me bring my bike inside, so I just left. In the future I'll be able to use this Rt 18 option. (Rt 10 goes to the 50/Portland blood center but is more of a commitment on a weekend whereas the Lincoln site is just a mile away).

[shawnw]

A grid plan is being floated in an Embark survey

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/OKCMovesScenarios

[Plutonic Panda]

Wow that looks really cool!

[HOT ROD]

I think it is a good start. But a true grid system would be just that, going up and down, back and forth on the major streets; people would transfer downtown or at a cross grid if they need to go to a different part of the city. This is still focused on a few destinations, missing lots of people in the process. I think they should be grid routes + routes going to destinations from downtown - that would be a comprehensive bus system.

I do like that they are showing an Airport Express route for travelers FINALLY!!! Now just also need a local 24/7 Airport route with lots of stops along the way for people working there and an option for travelers when the Airport Express isn't running. Also need service not just until midnight on weekdays but past midnight OWL routes M-Sat, and midnight on Sunday.

[David]

Bigger link the the route image, assuming there isn't a referrer error for people not currently looking at the survey: https://surveymonkey-assets.s3.amazo...391e48b6cd.png

[Plutonic Panda]

They really should add a new NE route hitting up the apartments at 122nd and Broadway extension, the social security office, the apartments at memorial and boulevard, and connecting the Tulsa to OKC commuter lot at I-35. All of that could be served by one route.

[shawnw]

There's currently a route that goes to SSN, it's just not a daily/regular route, which is annoying

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah it really needs to be a daily route. The social security office ideally should have been built downtown anyways but that’s another conversation for another day. There’s a few clusters of apartment complexes in the area that could benefit from a new route too. Connect it to downtown running busses straight down Penn. Nichols Hills folks might be exposed to the busses but oh well.

Also, did they change the routing of NWE BRT? I thought the proposed route went straight over SH-74 but now it is snaking around Baptist Hospital and meandering rather than continuing straight down NWE.

[shawnw]

Technically that "alternative" around baptist was one of several presented at the various public meetings

[shawnw]

The Village City Council puts the brakes on the Embark public transit proposal
https://okcfriday.com/city-puts-the-...-p17170-92.htm

[TheTravellers]

The Village City Council puts the brakes on the Embark public transit proposal
https://okcfriday.com/city-puts-the-...-p17170-92.htm

Interesting that The Village can't enter into multi-year contracts - is that something that's normal for cities?

[HOT ROD]

@Councilman Sean Cummings, I didn't realize Embark was a company let alone that The Village was bailing them out post-pandemic with $200K. I suppose transportation needs of Village residents are being met then.

[Dob Hooligan]

I think The Village section line roads are something like-

1 mile on May Ave

1.5 miles on Pennsylvania

2 miles on Britton Rd

2 miles on Hefner Rd, and that is the southern half of the road

I don't think there is any area in The Village that is 1 mile from groceries and there is no economically challenged area that would rely on public transportation.

[shawnw]

I guess no one in the village wants to go anywhere else around town without having to drive...

[catch22]

What is with this recent wave of communities pulling out of transit initiatives? Monkey see, monkey do?