T-Town Trolley Service To Begin Friday

There is a new way to get around some of Tulsa's nightspots. 

Thursday, March 13th 2008, 12:37 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa's first free trolley system has pulled into Green Country.

"This is the kind of thing that's going to keep that downtown revitalization going/this is going to be great to connect all these downtown venues," said Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor.

On Thursday morning, the trolley system was unveiled in downtown Tulsa.

All you need to hop on board is a token from one of the bars or restaurants along the trolley route.

You don't have to leave the party to get to the next stop in the Loop 2008. It is the party bus that will take you from bar-to-bar. Music playing, plenty of seats and refreshments of the non-alcoholic form are provided.

The trolley will run from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. The T-Town Trolley currently has seven stops, one stop every half hour. It will hit Sharkies, the Empire Bar, the junction of 3rd and Elgin, McNellie's, 18th and Boston, Jewel and the Crow Creek Tavern and Restaurant.

Local entrepreneur Blake Lund has provided a private Tulsa trolley service in Tulsa since 2002.

When the Tulsa Young Professionals approached him about the free Trolley service he jumped on board. The system is privately funded. Anheuser-Busch Sales of Oklahoma is the presenting sponsor.

So why kick off the T-Town trolley service Thursday evening with a flame painted bus and not a trolley?

"The reason is that we wanted something radical and really exciting that's really going to get people's attention. We love the Trolleys don't get us wrong we have them and they're ready to go, but we wanted to get started with something different so they can get used to the service and then we'll filter in the Trolleys," said Blake Lund.

Oklahoma City and Edmond already have similar trolley systems, but those are not free. So what happens when party goers get off the bus and need to head home?

T-Town trolleys will call you a cab.

By Margaret Stokes, NewsOn6.com anchor/reporter and Chris Howell, Video Journalist. Find more of their stories in our Web Exclusives section.