Embark

What Embark does

EMBARK is the operating brand of the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA), a municipal public trust created by the City of Oklahoma City in February 1966. It provides multimodal public transportation across the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and Norman, serving a population of 861,505 across 411 square miles. The service portfolio spans fixed-route bus (23 OKC routes plus 6 Norman routes), the 9.5-mile RAPID NW bus rapid transit corridor, the OKC Streetcar with its Downtown and Bricktown loops, the Oklahoma River Cruises ferry, PLUS paratransit, and downtown parking (5 garages, 5 surface lots, and 1,300+ metered spaces).

The underlying technology stack is centered on real-time vehicle tracking, traffic signal priority integration for BRT and streetcar, automatic wheelchair securement, and rider-facing applications including the EMBARK Connect app, Token Transit mobile ticketing, and Flowbird parking payments. Annual ridership reaches approximately 3 million bus trips and 224,305 streetcar rides, delivered by a 300+ person workforce represented by ATU 993 and AFSCME 2406.

EMBARK is funded primarily through the City of Oklahoma City's operating budget (FY2025: $66.5M total operating budget, up 52% from FY2021). Direct rider revenue consists of passenger fares ($4 adult daily universal pass, $2 reduced fare, free for youth under 18) and parking fees, supplemented by transit advertising through partners Houck Transit Advertising and Tyler Outdoor and corporate sponsorships such as the Allegiance Credit Union free-fare program. The agency is governed by an eight-member COTPA Board of Trustees and operates as a non-traded public entity, with Jesse Rush serving as Administrator and Director of Public Transportation and Parking following his appointment in 2024.

Name

Embark

Legal name

Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority

Website

https://embarkok.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

EMBARK is the multimodal public transit brand of Oklahoma City's COTPA, operating fixed-route bus, BRT, streetcar, paratransit, ferry, and downtown parking across 411 square miles serving 861,505 residents and delivering nearly 3 million annual trips.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transit Services

NAICS

Inland Water Passenger Transportation (483212), Special Needs Transportation (485991)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Multimodal Transit Agencies (Bus + Rail) (THAIAEAD)

Keywords

• Public transit services
• Bus rapid transit
• Paratransit mobility
• Streetcar operations
• Downtown parking management

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Passenger Fares: Revenue from fixed-route bus, BRT, streetcar, and ferry fares. Includes adult, reduced fare, and youth passes. Norman bus service is currently fare-free.
2. Downtown Parking Operations: Revenue from five parking garages, five surface lots, and over 1,300 metered on-street parking spots. Operated by PCI Municipal Services under partnership.
3. Transit Advertising: Revenue from bus wrap advertising, bench/shelter advertising, and sponsorship opportunities for RAPID, Streetcar, and Oklahoma River Cruises. Partners include Houck Transit Advertising and Tyler Outdoor.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EMBARK is a multimodal public transit authority providing fixed-route bus service, Bus Rapid Transit (RAPID NW), OKC Streetcar, paratransit (PLUS), Norman bus service, Oklahoma River Cruises ferry transit, and downtown public parking for residents and visitors of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The authority delivers nearly 3 million annual trips across 411 square miles and serves a population of approximately 861,505. Supporting services include mobility management programs, mobile ticketing via Token Transit, and the EMBARK Connect real-time rider application.

Product overview

EMBARK is a multimodal public transit agency providing a comprehensive family of transportation services across the Oklahoma City metro area. The core offering consists of fixed-route bus service (OKC Bus with 23 routes), OKC Streetcar (modern streetcar with Downtown and Bricktown loops), RAPID NW Bus Rapid Transit (9.5-mile BRT corridor), Norman Bus Service, and PLUS Paratransit for mobility-limited riders. Additional services include Oklahoma River Cruises ferry transit along 7 miles of the Oklahoma River and Downtown Parking (5 garages, 5 lots, 1,300+ metered spaces). Supporting mobility programs include the Haul Pass for youth, CLIMB Ride for foster families, and mobile pass purchasing via Token Transit integration. The organization serves a population of 861,505 across 411 square miles with approximately 3,000,000 annual trips.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Family reunification rate improved from 35% to 63% through child welfare transportation program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Allegiance Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2026Third Friday Free fare promotion sponsorship - provides free rides across OKC transit network (buses, RAPID, streetcar, ferries) every third Friday May-September. Allegiance CU serves 23,000+ members across 8 counties and has invested in community since 1963.
• PivotcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting foster youth ages 17-24 with transportation services, reducing homelessness among that population from ~66%. Part of EMBARK's child welfare transportation program.
• HMS FerriescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered with EMBARK to operate Oklahoma River Cruises ferry service on 7-mile stretch of Oklahoma River. HMS Ferries provides nationally recognized marine management services including captains, crew, and operational staff.
• PCI Municipal ServicescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOperates EMBARK Parking facilities (garages, lots, metered spaces). Provides personal attention and flexibility complementary to EMBARK's vision for world-class transportation.
• Houck Transit AdvertisingsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBus wrap advertising partner handling exterior bus advertising. Provides advertising sales, production, and installation services for transit advertising.
• Tyler OutdoorsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBus bench and shelter advertising partner for EMBARK. Handles outdoor advertising inventory sales and placement.
• Palomar Family Justice CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMobility partnership coordinating micro-transit solutions for social service agencies and victims services.
• Areawide Aging AgencysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership coordinating mobility services for senior residents to improve access to healthcare and essential services.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART): Largest multimodal transit agency in Texas, operating DART Bus, DART Rail light rail, Trinity Railway Express commuter rail, and paratransit in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro. Direct peer to EMBARK in offering integrated bus + rail/transit + paratransit under a single authority, with a similar mix of urban fixed-route and mobility services.
• Valley Metro (Phoenix): Public transit authority serving the Phoenix metro with bus, light rail (Valley Metro Rail), paratransit, and vanpool services. Direct peer to EMBARK in operating a multimodal bus + rail + paratransit network in a fast-growing Sun Belt metro of comparable scale.
• Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA): Public transit authority serving Memphis and the surrounding region with fixed-route bus, MATA Trolley heritage streetcar, paratransit, and on-demand services. Closely comparable to EMBARK in size, multimodal mix including streetcar, and mid-sized Southern metro profile.
• IndyGo (Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation): Public transit corporation serving Indianapolis with the Red Line BRT, additional BRT routes, fixed-route bus, and paratransit. Highly comparable to EMBARK in operating BRT alongside bus and paratransit, with a similarly sized Midwestern US metro footprint.
• VIA Metropolitan Transit (San Antonio): Public transit agency serving San Antonio with fixed-route bus, VIA Link on-demand microtransit, and paratransit. Direct peer to EMBARK in operating an integrated bus + paratransit network in a mid-sized Texas/Southern metro, with similar reliance on sales tax funding.
• Transit Authority of River City (TARC, Louisville): Public transit authority serving the Louisville metro with fixed-route bus, paratransit (TARC3), and on-demand service. Direct peer to EMBARK in size, multimodal mix, and mid-sized US metro service profile.
• Sun Tran (Tucson): Public transit agency serving Tucson with Sun Tran fixed-route bus, Sun Express BRT, Sun Shuttle on-demand, and Sun Van paratransit. Highly comparable to EMBARK in operating bus + BRT + paratransit in a mid-sized Sun Belt metro.
• Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART, Tampa): Public transit authority serving the Tampa metro with HART bus, the TECO Line Streetcar (heritage streetcar), and paratransit. Direct peer to EMBARK in offering a streetcar within a bus + paratransit system in a mid-sized Florida/Southern metro.

Emerging players

• Kansas City Streetcar Authority: Non-profit operating the free downtown Kansas City Streetcar (2.2-mile starter line, with extensions underway). EMERGING_PLAYER peer to EMBARK's OKC Streetcar operations, sharing the modern streetcar focus and downtown circulator model, though smaller in scope and multimodal breadth.

Broad incumbents

• Regional Transportation District (RTD, Denver): Large multimodal transit agency serving the Denver metro with light rail, commuter rail, bus, BRT, paratransit, and on-demand. BROAD_INCUMBENT peer to EMBARK, much larger in scale and modal breadth, but illustrates the regional multi-modal structure EMBARK aspires to as RTA integration matures.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/embarkok
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/Embarkok/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/EmbarkOK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/embarkok
• Instagraminstagram.com/embarkokc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Embark