Embark (OKC Metro Bus Service)

[Platemaker]

Alright alright. Look... I guess it doesn't have anything to do with anything.
I'm just sitting here with three friends. We are all bus riders. Only two of us are white. We are looking at the new website and the routes. We joke around about how hot the guy with the sunglasses is on the front page and how we've never seen him on the bus. Then we notice that he isn't even riding a normal bus (looks like a charter bus). Then as we scroll through the site it becomes a joke that all we see are white people. I'm regularly the only white guy on the bus. Then a discussion ensues about how the whole restructuring of the bus system is supposed to encourage new ridership. We had a laugh about how, from the photos we saw on the site, it appears that means "make it look fun and safe for white folks."
Super sorry to offend anyone. In reality though, a little display of diversity on a public transit website wouldn't hurt either.

[Snowman]

I could be wrong, but this guy looks black.

That is a shadow, look at the back of his neck and side of hand/pinky finger. His shirt alone gives a good reference to confirm the direction of the light source.

[Plutonic Panda]

The guy looks black to me regardless of the light source. This is a dumb issue anyways. Doesn't matter if they are all white or all black, I don't care. If the service is good and they aren't discriminating anyone with it

[Urbanized]

I DEFINTELY don't want to weigh in on the race/lighting/pinky issue, but I WILL say this: his cap is dumb looking as all hell.

[AP]

I DEFINTELY don't want to weigh in on the race/lighting/pinky issue, but I WILL say this: his cap is dumb looking as all hell.

What does that even mean?

[Urbanized]

It means that the guy has terrible taste in caps, I suppose.

[RadicalModerate]

I could be wrong, but this guy looks black.

And,hopefully, Flu Smart as well.

[Platemaker]

The guy looks black to me regardless of the light source. This is a dumb issue anyways. Doesn't matter if they are all white or all black, I don't care. If the service is good and they aren't discriminating anyone with it

OH MY GOD! is right.
It was a joke. My buddies and I had a laugh... followed by a super interesting conversation on diversity in advertising. Which isn't, Mr. Panda, a "dumb issue."

[TheTravellers]

Alright alright. Look... I guess it doesn't have anything to do with anything.
I'm just sitting here with three friends. We are all bus riders. Only two of us are white. We are looking at the new website and the routes. We joke around about how hot the guy with the sunglasses is on the front page and how we've never seen him on the bus. Then we notice that he isn't even riding a normal bus (looks like a charter bus). Then as we scroll through the site it becomes a joke that all we see are white people. I'm regularly the only white guy on the bus. Then a discussion ensues about how the whole restructuring of the bus system is supposed to encourage new ridership. We had a laugh about how, from the photos we saw on the site, it appears that means "make it look fun and safe for white folks."
Super sorry to offend anyone. In reality though, a little display of diversity on a public transit website wouldn't hurt either.

I've noticed this also - in OKC, everybody I see waiting for a bus is black, and as you said, you're often the only white guy on the bus. Here in OKC, it appears that the bus system is for poor people that don't have cars, and it's mainly black people riding it. In Chicago, *everybody* rides the bus, every color, every race, every age, *everybody*. Here in OKC, I'm guessing that people care so little about mass transit because "everybody has a car, you have to here" and that's why it sucks. In other cities, mass transit is seen as necessary and part of the urban fabric, so it gets funding and works better than here. Not sure the bus system will ever get much better here, cars are too ingrained into our community (yeah, I know the multiple reasons, sad that massive corporations screwed things up way back). I guess EMBARK wants to downplay that it's pretty much poor black people that ride the buses here.

[Just the facts]

EMBARK using white people in their ads is no different than 95% of McDonalds commercials featuring black people. The whole reason to advertise is to attract consumers that aren't already a customer. To make in roads into other demographics you have to feature those people using your product. It is all part of expanding mass transit to all people and there is nothing wrong with that.

[catch22]

I used to have a very narrow view when it came to transit.

I thought only poor blacks used it. I was truly ignorant (and admittedly somewhat racist about it) of what "the bus" or mass transit meant. I was at one point actually opposed to the streetcar in OKC.

I visited Cleveland for work, and on my off time I rode the train into the city, and found people of all races, social backgrounds, and economic conditions rode mass transit.

This was confirmed in later travels to LA, Chicago, San Fran, etc. Because of travels and actually using the system, I have become a huge fan and proponent of mass transit. And my knowledge and understanding has outgrown and matured past the narrow viewpoint I once had.

This is where the streetcar will do wonders for OKC and the bus system. Many in Oklahoma are very turned off at the idea of riding mass transit -- it wasn't until I rode a train in a city 1,000 miles away that I began to understand the benefits of it. I have never been on a city bus until AFTER I was introduced to mass transit via a heavy rail subway car in CLE. With the streetcar here in OKC, people won't need to be in a city 1,000 miles away without a car for a month to experience mass transit that is useful to them. Many will start out just wanting to go for a ride downtown on a Saturday afternoon. Or maybe decide to try it after they parked in Midtown to eat at Louie's before the Thunder game, and decide instead of driving and trying to park at the arena -- that they'll just hop on the streetcar.

They will slowly begin to warm up to the idea -- the ability to pass increased bus funding will be much easier. People will have some base level knowledge and understanding of what mass transit is. And they will be more likely to support transit initiatives. And like JTF has said in the past, pretty soon every district nearby downtown will be begging to have a streetcar route and the citizens will want to make it happen.

It's easy to vote against something you have no knowledge and understanding of, it's hard to vote against something you know is beneficial and useful.

[Just the facts]

Don't feel bad catch22 - it isn't just you. I ride the Skyway in downtown Jax every chance I get and all I hear from my fellow suburbanites is how it is only for poor blacks. My experience has been that ridership cuts across all race, age, and income brackets. However, part of the stigma comes from one the largest stations (and main city bus station) being called Rosa Parks Station. While Rosa Parks was a courageous woman, the name carries with it a preconceived notion for a lot of people. It is the only station named after a person. I can't help but think if it was called Ronald Reagan Station how the perception of everyone would change.

[Platemaker]

I've been on the 007, 008, and 023 buses today. I have to say, I'm loving the new schedules. I haven't waited more than 5 minutes each time.

[Plutonic Panda]

OH MY GOD! is right.
It was a joke. My buddies and I had a laugh... followed by a super interesting conversation on diversity in advertising. Which isn't, Mr. Panda, a "dumb issue."

it's a dumb issue to me. There are other things that we can spend our time on that are much more worrisome.

[Plutonic Panda]

Email I received from OCCC had this in it

Improvements include:
· An increase in services to OCCC
· Increased frequency with a bus arriving at the college approximately every 10 minutes
· Additional routes are being added. In addition to the South May route, there will be one that uses Western. Some of you that had to go to the downtown transit center will no longer have to – you will have more direct service.
· Routes 12 and 13 will come to the college.
· A new online journey planner is available to help you plan your trip in advance at embarkok.com

good news for people

[bradh]

I used to have a very narrow view when it came to transit.

I thought only poor blacks used it. I was truly ignorant (and admittedly somewhat racist about it) of what "the bus" or mass transit meant. I was at one point actually opposed to the streetcar in OKC.

I visited Cleveland for work, and on my off time I rode the train into the city, and found people of all races, social backgrounds, and economic conditions rode mass transit.

This was confirmed in later travels to LA, Chicago, San Fran, etc. Because of travels and actually using the system, I have become a huge fan and proponent of mass transit. And my knowledge and understanding has outgrown and matured past the narrow viewpoint I once had.

This is where the streetcar will do wonders for OKC and the bus system. Many in Oklahoma are very turned off at the idea of riding mass transit -- it wasn't until I rode a train in a city 1,000 miles away that I began to understand the benefits of it. I have never been on a city bus until AFTER I was introduced to mass transit via a heavy rail subway car in CLE. With the streetcar here in OKC, people won't need to be in a city 1,000 miles away without a car for a month to experience mass transit that is useful to them. Many will start out just wanting to go for a ride downtown on a Saturday afternoon. Or maybe decide to try it after they parked in Midtown to eat at Louie's before the Thunder game, and decide instead of driving and trying to park at the arena -- that they'll just hop on the streetcar.

They will slowly begin to warm up to the idea -- the ability to pass increased bus funding will be much easier. People will have some base level knowledge and understanding of what mass transit is. And they will be more likely to support transit initiatives. And like JTF has said in the past, pretty soon every district nearby downtown will be begging to have a streetcar route and the citizens will want to make it happen.

It's easy to vote against something you have no knowledge and understanding of, it's hard to vote against something you know is beneficial and useful.

Good post catch22. We live in OKC and drive to work, but neither of us are opposed to public transit (especially when we vacation). We rode the rail from SeaTac Airport to downtown Seattle late on a Thursday night, and we absolutely stuck out like a sore thumb, but you know what, people aren't on the train to rob you, they're just trying to get somewhere. It was a good experience and a hell of a lot cheaper than a cab.

[BG918]

Below are pictures of Denver's new downtown bus station. They already have decent ridership but having such a nice station should make it even better. I think this is the future for mass transit in this country, elevating it for all types of people not just the poor. If the bus is clean and convenient and terminated into this I would consider taking it.




Courtesy of DenverInfill Blog

[ljbab728]

It's very nice but it's certainly much more than a bus station.

[DavidD_NorthOKC]

Some of this sounds very familiar to suggestions we've seen here:

Houston's Plan to Get an Amazing New Bus System for No New Money - Eric Jaffe - The Atlantic Cities

[JohnH_in_OKC]

The pictures of the new Denver Bus Terminal/Union Station remind me of what OKC could do with our Cox Convention Center after our new convention center is built. OKC can build one of the region's best bus terminals using the Cox Center building. Plus we can keep the arena for hockey, simultaneous events needing a second arena, or events not requiring the seating capacity or the rental expense the Chesapeake Arena.

If engineers approve the weight bearing of the Cox Convention Center floor, intracity buses could occupy the West section of the center, intercity buses could be stationed in the East section with the arena between the two sections. If engineers calculate the convention floor is not sufficiently strong, even with reinforcement, we could possibly drop the floor about 6 feet in the parking level, and the buses could use the parking level as a transit station. But I hope the parking area could be maintained as is so that the convention center's parking garage can continue to be used as parking for downtown events, as parking for our bus & train & streetcar transit, and as a public downtown tornado shelter.

We could (should) build a tunnel between the Santa Fe Station & the new bus station underneath E.K. Gaylord Drive. The OKC Concourse (underground tunnels underneath much of downtown OKC) already connects to the Cox Center. Alternatively, a skywalk could be built to connect the two buildings. There is a proposal to build a walkway between the Santa Fe Station and Bricktown underneath the railroad tracks as part of the Santa Fe Station reconstruction/refurbishing.

I know when I've traveled to cities with indoor bus terminals (like Grand Central Station in NYC), I've been impressed by the efficiencies of scale, safety & aesthetics. Our bus travelers both intercity & intracity would avoid inclement weather & have more options centralized in one place. Our present bus station is an eyesore with many riders milling around outside waiting for their next bus. Also, as OKC's bus service is extended into the late evening, the indoor facility would be safer for riders and much closer to the Chesapeake Arena & Bricktown.

For the last 4 years, I've purchased & used a 30 day senior (Special Services) bus pass (usually each summer) for which I have posted critiques of our continually improving bus service in the OKCTalk Transportation section. In addition, I ride on many of the free days scheduled each summer including a couple of days two weeks ago when the new Embark bus routes were introduced.

I just dream of a totally indoor bus station to benefit all OKC bus riders.

[ljbab728]

The pictures of the new Denver Bus Terminal remind me of what OKC could do with our Cox Convention Center after our new convention center is built. We can keep the arena for hockey, simultaneous events needing a second arena, or events not requiring the seating capacity or the rental expense the Chesapeake Arena.

If engineers approve the weight bearing of the Cox Convention Center floor, intracity buses could occupy the West section of the center, intercity buses could be stationed in the East section. If engineers calculate the convention floor is not sufficiently strong, even with reinforcement, we could possibly drop the floor about 6 feet in the parking level, and the buses could use the parking level as a transit station. But I hope the parking area could be maintained as is so that the convention center's parking can continue to be used for downtown events and parking for our bus & train & streetcar transit.

We could build a tunnel between the Sante Fe Station & the new bus station. The OKC Concourse (underground tunnels underneath much of OKC) already connects to the Cox Center. Alternatively, a skywalk could be built to connect the two buildings.

That's not a terrible idea but a bus terminal would not need nearly that much space.

[zookeeper]

It's very nice but it's certainly much more than a bus station.

Exactly. Take a look- RTD - Union Station
Calling the new Union Station in Denver a "bus station" is like calling the Grand Canyon a ditch.

[kevinpate]

or calling coach rivers a lil' bit miffed.

[ljbab728]

Enhanced bus service, more police proposed for Oklahoma City | News OK

City Manager Jim Couch added $2.2 million to his proposed 2014-15 budget Friday, saying Oklahoma City can afford to begin evening bus service and maintain the pace of growth in the police force.

Running buses until midnight on Embark routes 11 and 23 would mark the first time in recent memory Oklahoma City has offered riders evening transit service.

Service ends now around 7:30 p.m.

[Dennis Heaton]

ljbab728...Thanks for posting that article. Now that I KNOW who controls the purse strings, I'll be contacting the City Manager in the coming week.