When her husband lost his sight, Mary Massad became the primary driver in her household. She would drive him to his eye doctor in Oklahoma City, a four-hour round trip from their home in Frederick. When Mary suffered a health issue, Mary could no longer drive long distances. “I decided to try the bus and it’s been the best thing that’s happened,” she says. “It’s like having my personal chauffeur. I don’t have to drive, I don’t have to worry about parking, I don’t pay the tolls, It’s just perfect for me.” At 87 years old, Mary says Red River Transportation provides something that’s very important and that’s her independence. “Without public transit, I would have to depend upon my children, who live in Oklahoma City and Dallas, or depend upon my friends.” And that is something she says she does not want to do. #OkFacesofTransit

Joe Russell lives in Tipton, a small community in southwest Oklahoma, more than 100 miles from his medical specialists in Oklahoma City. With an unreliable car with more than 200,000 miles, Joe relies upon Red River Transit to get him to his doctors’ appointments. “If I didn’t have this bus, I might not make it,” he says. “It’s a matter of life and death. That’s all there is to it.” Joe adds that not only does the bus get him where he needs to go, he really enjoys the people. “I love riding that bus, I mean those people are so nice,” he says. “They try to help me as much as they can, are very attentive, they’re just good people.” #OkFacesofTransit

As the route supervisor for Red River Transportation, Gilbert Nuncio knows that the public transit system is contributing to the quality of life for the passengers. “Our riders would really suffer without the services we provide,” he says. “Not only do we provide medical services, a lot of these people are homebound and we are connecting them to community and social events.” Gilbert also understands that public transit provides cost savings for passengers. “We connect people with their employment and it allows them to do more by not having to maintain their own vehicles,” he says. “The main thing is they’re appreciative of the service we’re providing and allowing them to be independent whether they’re 90 years old or they’re 45 years old and just want to use our services. We enjoy being able to assist them.” #OkFacesofTransit