OK Watch-Out Forum To Discuss Tulsa’s Mass Transit Future

Upcoming Watch-Out Forum: Where Mass Transit Is Headed in Tulsa Area

TULSA – Oklahoma Watch will hold a public forum on the future of mass transit in the greater Tulsa area on Tuesday, March 8, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Central Center, located at 1028 E. 6th St. in Tulsa.

The question-and-answer forum will feature Debbie Ruggles, assistant general manager of Tulsa Transit, and James Wagner, principal transportation planner for Indian Nations Council of Government (INCOG), the metropolitan planning organization for greater Tulsa.

Public transportation in Tulsa and surrounding communities is generally regarded as lagging systems in peer cities, which limits access to jobs, schools, services and places of recreation. On April 5, will Tulsa voters approve or reject a permanent sales tax hike that would pay for $57 million for transit operations and capital over 15 years? Would the improvements meet residents’ needs? In the wider Tulsa area,   will more residents cut back on driving and ride buses? Will improved bus transit  ultimately lead to a regional rail system?

Oklahoma Watch Executive Editor David Fritze will moderate the discussion. Those interested in attending are encouraged to register online at this link and come with questions.

About the Guests
Debbie Ruggles is the assistant general manager for Tulsa Transit. She has been a public transportation professional for more than 35 years. During that time, she has managed several transit agencies across the country, including the transit agency in Boise, Idaho, that was named the Most Outstanding Transit System in America by the American Public Transportation Association. Currently, Ruggles is project manager for Tulsa Transit’s Bus Rapid Transit project planned for the Peoria Corridor.

James Wagner is the principal transportation planner for INCOG, working with member governments on programs to improve transit and bicycle/pedestrian transportation options for Tulsa area cities and counties. Most recently, Wagner led the effort to create a regional bicycle/pedestrian master plan, commonly known as the GO Plan. His prior work includes the development of the Tulsa’s first regional transit system plan, known as Fast Forward, and the Peoria Bus Rapid Transit project, which was approved for construction by Tulsa voters in 2013.