EMBARK RAPID NW marks one million rider milestone

February 19, 2026

EMBARK’s RAPID NW surpassed the one million rider milestone on Christmas Night 2025 and closed the year with a total of just over 1.01 million riders since the service launched on December 4, 2023.

EMBARK officials hosted a special media event today to recognize these milestones at the EMBARK Park-and-Ride at NW Expressway and Meridian.

“Two years ago, city leaders and stakeholders had a vision of developing RAPID NW, the first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line in central Oklahoma, along one of Oklahoma City’s most heavily trafficked corridors. The success of RAPID NW within such a short time frame is a testament to the hard work of our EMBARK team, and the dedicated patronage of riders and the OKC community,” said Jesse Rush, Director of EMBARK. “RAPID NW has transformed public transit in central Oklahoma, enhancing connectivity and accessibility and providing riders with more options for travel sustainability.”

Since its launch, an average of 1,400 daily riders use the service to commute to work, shop for groceries, attend OKC Thunder games, and eat at local restaurants.

Several operators have been driving along the RAPID NW corridor throughout its two years in service and have formed friendships with many of the regulars who use RAPID NW for their daily commutes. These operators include Laura Figueroa, Mike Tac, Robbie Summers, Craig Standard, Marek Niemirski, Devon Williams, Fred Murray, Fritz Ethridge, Chris Gunter, Freddie Wright and Gunaita (Carol) Woods.

“Our team members are the ‘face’ of RAPID NW, providing clean buses and bus stops as well as welcoming riders whether they’re new to RAPID NW or have been riding since service began two years ago,” said Kharlie Barnaby, Assistant Director of Operations. “We appreciate everything they do, every day, to make sure riders arrive at their destination safely and reliably.”

RAPID NW has 32 stop platforms, stretches 9.5 miles each way, and integrates into the more extensive EMBARK transit network. The line travels through the downtown core and through one of the region's most job-dense and high-traffic corridors. RAPID NW is composed of nine Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles with upgraded seating and amenities. RAPID NW operates 365 days a year with service at each stop every 12-15 minutes during peak service.