After two decades of interest in a transit system, OSU contracted with First Capital Trolley of Guthrie in 1997 to operate two buses on and around the OSU - Stillwater campus. The following year, two additional buses were added and in 2000 an additional bus was added. Ridership grew to 200,000 boardings in the 2002 – 2003 academic year.

In 2000, the OSU Public Safety Department initiated an over-the-road transit system to link OSU campuses in Stillwater and Tulsa . This transit service began with two 45-passenger over the road coaches and grew to six buses by the Fall semester of 2003. Ridership for this shuttle service is approximately 1,000 passengers per week during the Fall of 2003.

Through a student voted $2 per credit hour transit fee, OSU purchased in the Summer of 2003 17 transit coaches to operate a campus and community transit system. The OSU / Stillwater Community Transit System, known as THE BUS began service in August 2003 operating 10 routes – four serving the Stillwater area and six that provide transit service within the campus area. In February 2004 an additional campus route was added to provide access to remote parking areas of the campus. Riderhip on this system was 207,617 for the entire academic year.

Significant changes were made to THE BUS system in August 2004. The seven on-campus routes were combined to make two campus routes that operated every 7 to fifteen minutes. THE BUS 's five community routes were modificed to operate in a linear format as opposed to the loop system run the year earlier. Two new evening routes were created that extended transit service to 10:30 p.m. The result was a significant increase in ridership to 560,252 annual passengers – an increase of 170% over the previous year.

The OSU / Stillwater Community Transit System is currently operating Monday-Friday, 6:20 am to 10:30 pm. for both on and off-campus service. Times on the schedule are representative of minutes past the hour. (ie. :30 equals 6:30, 7:30 etc.) Bus stops and times of departures are approximations, and may change at any time. All Routes converge at the Athletic Avenue Transit Center where passengers may transfer from one route to another. All transit service is free to OSU students, faculty, and staff. Fares for the public are $.50 per trip for general passengers. Elderly (over 59), youth (5-18 years of age), disabled (with approved ADA certification) or a Medicare Card holder pay only $.25 per trip. Persons under the age of 5 can ride THE BUS for free when accompanied by a paid passenger. Transfers to other routes are free.