EMBARK in Oklahoma City and the Hillsborough Area Rapid Transit (HART) in Tampa, Fla., have made adjustments to its fare collecting methods for different transit services to improve ridership.
EMBARK launches six-month fare-free pilot on OKC Streetcar
EMBARK has launched a six-month pilot program for free fares on the OKC Streetcar that will last through July 5. EMBARK plans to use the free fare pilot program to help boost ridership demand and support local economic activity.
“During our fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2025, OKC Streetcar saw a new record high ridership, totaling 288,517 annual riders,” said EMBARK Director Jesse Rush. “While this growth is encouraging, peer cities, such as Kansas City, Milwaukee and Cincinnati, have demonstrated that fare-free downtown circulator streetcar service can significantly increase ridership and year over year growth. Oklahoma City is launching this six-month pilot to test whether removing fares further reduces barriers, increases usage and enhances downtown mobility. The results of this pilot will directly inform whether a permanent fare-free service is the right long-term strategy for the OKC Streetcar.”
Rush added that ridership on the OKC Streetcar increases during periods when the OKC Streetcar is free, most recently during the Downtown in December promotion.
“As Oklahoma City adds more housing and attractions within the downtown area, the OKC Streetcar can help ease traffic congestion,” said EMBARK Assistant Director Kharlie Barnaby. “Whether someone lives downtown or travels downtown for an event, they can use the OKC Streetcar to complement or replace a pedestrian trip, which is particularly useful during inclement weather or for events held later at night.”
The OKC Streetcar system consists of seven streetcars and two loops that consist of 22 stops and operate seven days a week.
HART restarts collecting fares on Route 1
HART began returning to collecting fares on Route 1 on Jan. 5 following a year-long pilot that was funded by the city. As of December 2025, HART notes the Route 1 fare-free pilot increased ridership year-to-date by 45%. Faster boarding without fares also helped improve on-time performance by 6.2%.
HART notes riders depend on the service for a variety of reasons:
- Nearly 70% of passengers ride three or more days per week.
- Most trips support work, shopping and healthcare.
- 81% of riders say they will continue riding now that fares have returned.
- 63% connect to other routes.
Because the pilot was successful, HART is expanding the service to the following:
- Every 15 minutes on weekdays.
- Expanded evening service.
- Every 20 minutes on weekends.
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Brandon Lewis
Associate Editor
Brandon Lewis is a recent graduate of Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Lewis is a former freelance editorial assistant at Vehicle Service Pros in Endeavor Business Media’s Vehicle Repair Group. Lewis brings his knowledge of web managing, copyediting and SEO practices to Mass Transit magazine as an associate editor. He is also a co-host of the Infrastructure Technology Podcast.