Tulsa pilot program has removed nearly 2,000 shopping carts; city and vendor press retailers for buyback

Part Repo and Tulsa staff reported at the TARE meeting May 27 that the city-supported shopping-cart collection pilot has removed nearly 2,000 carts from public rights of way and storm systems but still lacks broad retailer buyback to close the recovery loop.

Shantel Mohammed, co‑founder and chief financial officer of Part Repo, told the board the vendor collected 1,917 carts from December 2024 through April 2025 and that “nearly 70% of those belong to a retailer.” She said Part Repo has completed a resale back to a retailer (identified in the presentation as Reesers) and continues outreach to other corporate and local store managers.

The pilot matters because abandoned shopping carts create nuisance and public‑safety problems when they wind up in storm drains, creeks or roadways, and because retailers bear much of the replacement cost. The city funded the pilot with a mid‑year budget adjustment of $100,000 and pays Part Repo on a per‑cart basis under a purchasing agreement, city staff said.

City staff explained the mechanics: Part Repo collects carts in the right of way and delivers or returns them to retailers on request; for carts that cannot be restored (for example, steel carts recovered from creeks), the contractor forwards materials to recyclers. Chantelle, a city operations staff member who oversees program coordination, said contractors submit a monthly bill based on documented returns; finance staff said the per‑cart reimbursement used in earlier months has been $15 and that a market fee could range between $15 and $25 depending on volume and cart type.

Board members and staff pressed for two outcomes: (1) a strategy to get the largest retailer (which board members said accounts for roughly 70% of recovered carts) to participate in a buyback or take back its property, and (2) clearer long‑term funding if the pilot continues. Philip, a city contract administrator, said the pilot was added mid‑year as an interim item and that the upcoming fiscal-year budget includes a $100,000 line item to extend the program.

Part Repo described operational details and hurdles. Mohammed said retailers are often slow to participate because they consider carts stolen property and expect shrinkage to be absorbed internally; she urged a mix of incentives and consequences to spur corporate engagement. She also said Part Repo has resold carts to at least one retailer, completing what she called a “sustainability loop.”

The discussion covered reuse and disposal paths. Staff and the vendor said steel carts recovered after prolonged exposure or tumbling in creeks are usually sent to metal recyclers; most plastic carts are not recyclable and typically go to landfill unless repurposed. The city noted some potential community reuse options (donations, repurposing for community gardens or nonprofit partners) but said any reuse plan must ensure carts do not immediately return to the right of way.

No board vote on program continuation or ordinance changes was recorded at the meeting. Instead, members asked staff to pursue retailer outreach and to draft a formal letter to the largest retailer asking for corporate participation; city staff volunteers (Philip and Adam) were asked to draft that letter and to coordinate with the mayor’s government‑affairs contacts. Staff also said they will continue quarterly reporting on cart counts, costs, and retailer engagements.

The item underscored remaining uncertainties: a vendor payment model tied to per‑cart reimbursements, estimated monthly volumes that can change with outreach success, and whether retailer participation can meaningfully reduce city program costs. Officials said the program will return to the board each quarter with updated counts and next steps.