JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — The Jacksonville Transportation Authority approved service changes and a 25-cent fare increase at a meeting in Jacksonville Beach on Thursday
An official at JTA said the agency conducted a federal Title VI study to determine that fare changes would not have a disproportionate negative impact on minority and other riders.
“Actions today will give us a chance to increase our fare by 25 cents and so that would put us in a place to be able to sustain some of the services that are very important for our customers” said Jeffrey Smith, Senior VP and COO of JTA.
The vote puts JTA bus fares at $2 per ride, up from the previous fare of $1.75.
On top of the fare increase, bus routes 18, 25, 32, 82 - which serve areas like Lennox Ave., Commonwealth Ave. and San Marco - will be eliminated. JTA is also cutting curb-to-curb, on-demand shuttles in ReadiRide zones.
The St. John’s River ferry service hours will be reduced by 90 minutes on weekdays. It currently operates on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The skyway hours will be reduced weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m..
“The annual savings expected will be at $12,164,000,” Smith said.
Smith assured Action News Jax that putting service on the chopping block was a last resort for the agency and are affecting all parts of the organization.
“This is not just about service. The cuts and service was the last thing we did. I want to make that perfectly clear - first we did cut in our administrative staff,” he said.
The route changes take effect in October. The fare increase goes into effect on January 1, 2027.
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