BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Broken Arrow is launching a new city-wide rideshare program in partnership with MetroLink.
For $1.75, residents can hop in for a ride in a $60,000 Mustang Mach-E.
The Indian Nations Council of Government granted money to buy four of the Mustangs, plus an accessible van. The only catch — the vehicles had to be electric.
"I think this is an innovative program. Using the electric cars for micro-transit is new for this area," Amanda Yamaguchi, Broken Arrow's Planning and Development Manager, said.
Her team conducted a traffic study to find the needs of Broken Arrow neighbors. They came up with this system. It could go bigger if enough people latch on.
"I would love to see it expanded, but ridership data is what we need in order to make those expansions happen," Yamaguchi said.
$1.75 buys a three-hour pass, and $3.50 is good for the whole day. Passes are available within the GoPass app. This isn’t exactly like an Uber, but it’s not a bus either.
After the request comes through the app, the driver will pick people up right at their curb, but if another order comes in during the ride, they might pick them up along the way.
Riders can go anywhere within 20 miles of Broken Arrow and all the way to downtown Tulsa throughout the MetroLink system, taking a little tension off of that pesky Broken Arrow traffic.
"Lot of traffic, lot of swerving, lot of [congestion] as well, lots of possible wrecks," Ashton Bowers said.
A new program, with new cars, all with new thinking.
"The bus schedule is great if you’re working on a fixed schedule, and you know exactly when you need to be at a certain place, and those buses are convenient for you," Yamaguchi said, "So people needed the flexibility to get different places at different times of the day."
For now, the rides will be available Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The city has a webpage dedicated to the program here.
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