JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For thousands of seniors and people with disabilities in Jacksonville, a ride isn’t just a ride. It’s how they get to work, see their doctors, and stay independent.
Action News Jax reported Wednesday on the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s plan to roll its Connexion Plus door-to-door service into its broader shared paratransit system, called Connexion, starting next month to cut costs.
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Dr. Emily Townsend is a mom, a marathon runner, and a blind physical therapist. She relies on Connexion Plus every day to get to her clinic and treat patients.
“My patients often use it to come to their physical therapy appointments. Those who use the current Connexion model — where you’re doing the shared ride — are often late. So Connexion Plus is something most people use when they need to be on time,” Townsend said.
Townsend says the change could put her patients and her own livelihood at risk. “These services that not only provide the basic — bare minimum — allow us to be efficient, employed, [and] contribute to society,” she said.
She says shared rides don’t work for everyone. “I don’t know about taking Connexion to work because I cannot be late. I have patients. I refuse to make them run behind,” Townsend said.
Townsend also says the decision was communicated too late for riders to make alternate plans. “The fact that it was never communicated in a timely way so people could make these life changes speaks to the devaluing of our disability community,” she said.
The impact could be significant. In fiscal year 2025, JTA logged more than 284,000 Connexion trips and nearly 203,000 Connexion Plus trips — nearly half a million rides for people who depend on them.
“We are taking away independence, employment, access to medical care, and other essential services that allow us to be active community members,” Townsend said.
JTA told Action News Jax that paratransit customers who have relied on Connexion Plus will continue to have many of the same transportation options, including some same-day service.
Dr. Townsend is still trying to figure out her transportation options once Connexion Plus is discontinued on February 1.
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