The City of Oklahoma City Appoints New Director of Public Transportation and Parking Department

September 17, 2024

Craig Freeman, City Manager of Oklahoma City, has named Jesse Rush administrator of the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA) and Director of the City of Oklahoma City’s Public Transportation and Parking Department.

Rush, the former EMBARK Assistant Director of Operations replaces Jason Ferbrache, who has served in a dual role as Oklahoma City’s Assistant City Manager and Public Transportation and Parking Director since 2022. Ferbrache will continue in his role as Assistant City Manager and as Interim Executive Director of the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Board. Ferbrache will also serve on the COTPA Trust as Surrogate Trustee for the City Manager.

“Jesse understands the critical role public transportation plays in the lives of metro area residents,” Oklahoma City Manager Craig Freeman said. “He has the skills to lead transit through another period of growth as we add two more bus rapid transit lines over the next few years through MAPS 4, launch micro transit options and implement OKC Moves, our fixed route bus transformation plan.”

Rush helped grow the Public Transportation and Parking Department by overseeing the design, construction and implementation of Oklahoma City’s first Streetcar (OKC Streetcar) and Bus Rapid Transit system (RAPID NW).

Rush started with the City of Oklahoma City in 2014 as a project manager for MAPS. As project manager for the OKC Streetcar, he managed the design and construction of the streetcar’s route alignment, storage and maintenance facility, and was involved in securing vehicle procurement contracts. He joined EMBARK in 2016, seeing the OKC Streetcar project through to completion and served as EMBARK’s first streetcar manager. In December 2020, he was promoted to Assistant Director of Operations, where he was responsible for all EMBARK operations, maintenance, parking, safety, capital projects, Oklahoma River Cruises and the OKC Streetcar.

“Public transportation is one of the most important services Oklahoma City provides its residents,” COTPA Chair Barney Semtner said. “Jesse has the leadership skills required to help us continue growing a transportation system that is accessible to everyone.”

Rush has been a member of the Oklahoma Transit Association since 2019 and served as board president in 2021.

“Transit services are vital public infrastructure that open doors of opportunity for residents and the community,” said Rush. “I am grateful to take on this new challenge to lead the teams continuing to execute our vision of providing world-class transit services for the Oklahoma City metro.”