TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa is set to become one of a few cities nationwide to bring autonomous vehicles to the streets.
After an accident left her without a vehicle, Mary Corbett became painfully aware of the transportation desert she lives in.
“I was stuck at home for a long time, not able to get to the store or things like that," she said. "Now I’m very conscious of how hard it is for people to get around.”
Over the years, she's come to realize how a lack of resources in North Tulsa has grave consequences for the people who live there.
“Teenagers... they have to walk or ride bicycles, and they get in trouble after dark and stuff like that, where if they had somebody they could call… but we don’t have that. They don’t have that.”
But soon, they will.
A $3.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy plans to bring autonomous vehicles to North Tulsa.
This is a part of a pilot program led by the Terence Crutcher Foundation, MetroLink Tulsa and other partners. The goal is to provide more ways for people to get around for underserved communities such as North Tulsa.
In a release sent to 2 News, Tiffany Crutcher, executive director of the Terence Crutcher Foundation, spoke to the need for options in the area. The program will not roll out these vehicles until the spring of 2026.
Partners want to get input from residents on where and how these could best serve north Tulsa.
“My neighbors are seniors, and I imagine people who are disabled, they would probably appreciate having somebody they could call and give them a ride to the grocery store, church, places like that,” said Corbett.
As the program develops, Tulsans will have opportunities to give feedback and suggestions, on how to make it most effective.
Residents can watch for updates on MetroLink's website.
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