With the rebranding to EmBark, will they no longer do full advertising wraps, or will that still be available to those companies that want to purchase it?
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
With the rebranding to EmBark, will they no longer do full advertising wraps, or will that still be available to those companies that want to purchase it?
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
That's really funny. I was at Ozzie's on Sunday with friends and we were saying, "who takes checks anymore?"Originally Posted by kevinpate
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
Update on the metro transit bus system:
OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma City's Metro Transit system will launch major improvements and transition to a new name on Monday, April 28.
According to officials, Metro Transit will be known as Embark. The new identity will represent all services, including bus transit, parking and ferry. Later this spring, the transit division, currently known as Metro Transit, will launch system-wide service enhancements including new schedules and route alignments.
"The changes we are making to the public transportation system in Oklahoma City are really transformational, and the new identity illustrates the journey we as a community are undertaking together," said Jason Ferbrache, director of public transportation and parking.
The system-wide route changes focus on increasing the frequency of the bus routes, reducing passenger wait and travel time, and realigning routes for optimal connectivity and to better match demand, according to officials.
Additional improvements currently underway include new bus stop signage and technology updates that will provide real-time information on the location of buses, a new website and a user-friendly trip planner.
Officials say even more enhancements will roll out this summer including Wi-Fi on board all buses, enhanced route information at bus stops, and the start of installing more than 31 new ADA accessible bus shelters.
"Faster service is the first step to building a better system," said Ferbrache. "These system changes lay the groundwork for building a better, stronger system that can one day support major improvements such as extended hours and Sunday service."
On most routes, buses will arrive every 30 minutes. There will now only be six local bus routes with wait times in excess of 30 minutes. The changes also establish a mini "transit hub" in west Oklahoma City for improved connectivity and create a new south crosstown route to serve a growing South 29th Street corridor.
New bus schedules will be available at the downtown Transit Center starting Tuesday, April 15. The new website, embarkok.com, will launch later this week where the public may access routes, schedules, and maps.
Customer Care staff are available for personal assistance from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. by calling (405) 235-RIDE (7433).
- Metro Transit Gets New Name, To Launch Major Improvements - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |
Platinum Member
Re: Bus System
I'm really curious about the location of the mini "transit hub" in west Oklahoma City.
Andrew Stewart
Re: Bus System
This is exciting stuff!
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
"Oklahoma City’s public transportation system is embarking on a new journey. The bus system, which has been in existence since 1966, will be launching major system improvements Monday, April 28 and will formerly transition to a new name.
New bus schedules will be available at the downtown Transit Center starting Tuesday, April 15. The new website, embarkok.com, will launch later this week where the public may access routes, schedules, and maps." (Bus Routes Changing System Wide | METRO Transit Providing Central Oklahoma Transportation & Bus Service Options)
Has anyone been able to access the new website?
Re: Bus System
When I rode the bus to work last Friday, the kindly driver said that all of the routes would be changing and that he didn't know where the [heck] he was going. I guess the new website must be running a little behind schedule. Maybe there's an app to let riders and potential riders know just where it is . . .
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
Seems like it took one step forward and one step back, they took out a lot of the kinks in the old lines, but added enough new area to cover that overall the system is still pretty thinly availability to most everywhere. They are still trying to cover too much area for the resources they have, all but a couple will have around 30 minutes between arrivals (60 minutes Saturday, no Sunday service), the 'high frequency' lines with 15 minute intervals is more what should be aimed for the minimum frequency between arrivals.
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
Route 8 saw some improvements...but, they ought to have extended the route to Wal-Mart on NW Expressway and N. Council. By doing that they might have encouraged a lot more apartment dwellers to use EMBARK.
Re: Bus System
I don't recall MassTrans asking for your opinion.
Nor do I recall them asking for mine.
Want to bet that The Planners of the bus routes never ride them?
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
Opinions are like (you know what)...But, for the record, Dear Sir,
May I direct your undivided attention to the following...
From 2013
Community Meeting Set Tuesday, May 21 | METRO Transit Providing Central Oklahoma Transportation & Bus Service Options
Enjoy your morning cup of coffee.
Signed,
Roger Daltrey
Re: Bus System
Point well taken/Roger that. =)
Platinum Member
Re: Bus System
The website EMBARK - Forward Together is now working for me. They have a mobile app that seems to mostly consist of a way to submit maintenance issues to the city, which seems odd for a transit oriented app.
I especially like the sound of:
I emailed in the suggestion that they publish the transit data such that it can show up as travel options in Google Maps.Developer Resources Are Coming Soon
EMBARK is working to make open source transit data available to software developers, to promote the use of transit and information related to transit.
Stay tuned, as more resources are made available they will be announced here. In the meantime, let us know what data sets and file formats would be most meaningful to you.
They did a good job on the website, it feels very modern.
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
Maybe it is just me. I get the notion of OKC landmarks, etc. However, if I wanted to launch what I hoped to be seen as a new, improved direction in transit, I don't think the first images I would place in front of eyeballs would be horse drawn land rush yacht/wagons and a slow-mo river taxi.
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
David...Thanks! It just came up for me as well.
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
The only knock I can see with how they handled the website transition, is at least as of today they old website is still up with all the old content and neither forwards the user to the new website automatically or provides a highly visible link/info. The name and some info from when it was being proposed is on the site but just in the rotating banner and not the first items, a link pretty late in how people scan a web page is also present but for a change this big happening tomorrow it should be in a spot much harder to miss. So it would be real easy if people were familiar with the old website to go in and get the old route map & old time schedules.
Re: Bus System
So . . .Are you implying, Counselor, that sometimes synergy is misspelt? =)
(imagewise)
(bus driver, best ever, to me: we ain't sure where the [insert nounish sort of word] we are going next week.)
Platinum Member
Re: Bus System
I got a response back about my email and they are apparently already working with Google to list the bus stops on Maps.
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
I had forgotten until I looked at their new site that most of the bus trips I have made between Norman and OKC were CART trips and not the metro bus itself. I knew some were, but looking at the schedule more closely it appears almost all were. I suppose it's a good thing no other service uses the stops I use. Who knows where I might have ended up.
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
Notice how every image on the Embark website are of happy, shiny white folks.
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
who cares?
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
I could be wrong, but this guy looks black.
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
What on earth does race have to do with anything?
Participating Member
Re: Bus System
I expect most of the close up of people are stock footage and both of the services my company have used in the past's was probably above 90% white people, believe me we wanted more diverse selection and a lot of those 10% remaining will be more like business, service or leisure shots since businesses are a much higher percent of their customer base than transit organizations. I am not sure but the photo with the bus and people at the stop, almost looks like they did some photoshoping on the bus.
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