• Subscribe
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Supplier's Directory
    1. Management

    Oklahoma DOT establishes new Office of Mobility and Public Transit

    July 8, 2019
    The new division brings all transit focused oversight and policy planning under a single entity.

    A new Office of Mobility and Public Transit within the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) has been created. The establishment of the new office was included in House Bill 1365, which was signed by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on April 25, 2019 and went into effect on July 1.  

    The new division is charged with overseeing a network of public transit systems, including EMBARK, Tulsa Transit, Little Dixie Transit and others designated by ODOT. The Oklahoma Department of Human Service (OKDHS) will transfer a program that provides federal funding to community organizations to provide bus and van service for the elderly and disabled to the new office. Additionally, the new Office of Mobility and Public Transit is charged with funding and development of the Oklahoma Public Transit Policy Plan.

    Secretary of Transportation and ODOT Executive Director Tim Gatz promised a smooth transition with OKDHS leadership and a collaborative approach to implementing the law working with transit providers and professionals and the industry’s group, the Oklahoma Transit Association, over the next several months for a successful implementation.

    About the Author

    Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

    Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

    Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content. 

    She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.  

    She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.

    Email