Several government and local non-profit organizations are looking to bring four autonomous vans to north Tulsa as part of a public transit pilot program by spring 2026.
The project is being headed by the Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG) and is funded by a $3.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy aimed at underserved communities.
INCOG is partnering with several other organizations and nonprofits.
Before the pilot is underway, the Terence Crutcher Foundation plans to engage residents about how the project could affect their daily lives.
Sheyda Brown, TCF’s deputy director, said bringing the project to north Tulsa could help alleviate longstanding inequalities.
“Part of that is definitely having access to transportation, and being able to get to work and school, and even the gym or other entertainment in our lives that everyone deserves access to,” Brown said.
Brown said TCF is planning to form a citizen advisory board as part of the outreach.
Clint Johnson with INCOG said north Tulsa had been identified by researchers as both a transportation and food desert.
“We feel like this type of service can be a solution to both those needs,” Johnson said.
MetroLink Tulsa will operate the four driverless Ford E-Transit passenger vans, which will be integrated into their existing MicroTransit rideshare service.
Cornell University and MIT are developing software and algorithms for the vehicles.
For anyone nervous about riding in an autonomous vehicle, Johnson said there will be human safeguards.
“All the vehicles in this pilot demonstration will be staffed with a driver, a safety driver, and that will be provided by MetroLink Tulsa,” he said.
Other ambitious development projects in north Tulsa have not been successful. When asked about any skepticism the project may encounter, Brown said an extensive period of listening and door knocking in the community is paramount.
“The goal isn’t just information and then we leave,” she said. “Our goal as an organization is to train and develop community members to speak on their own behalf.”
