(Jacksonville, FL – August 27, 2026) The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) Board of Directors unanimously selected Cleveland Ferguson III to serve as Interim Chief Executive Officer as the Authority prepares for a leadership transition and conducts a national search for its next CEO.

Ferguson has served in several executive leadership roles since joining the JTA in 2015 and has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for the past three years.

“Cleveland is an experienced leader with a clear understanding of the organization and a plan to guide the JTA through an important budget cycle,” JTA Board of Directors Chair Aundra Wallace said. “He also has strong relationships with employees throughout the organization and with our community partners. That experience and continuity will serve the JTA well during this transition.”

Current JTA CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. announced his resignation in July and subsequently accepted the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), where he will begin serving in late October.

The JTA Board has retained KL2 Connects, an executive search firm specializing in the public transportation industry, to conduct a national search for the Authority’s next CEO.

The Board anticipates selecting a permanent CEO by the end of 2026 or in early 2027.

“I am grateful to the JTA Board of Directors for the opportunity to serve the Authority in this role,” Ferguson said. “I care deeply about our customers, our employees and our community. This is an important moment for the JTA, and I look forward to working with our Board and employees to strengthen the organization, advance our priorities and take the actions necessary to position the Authority for long-term success. Throughout this transition, we will remain focused on delivering safe, reliable transportation and serving Jacksonville and communities throughout Northeast Florida.”

As Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Ferguson has overseen key administrative, technology and economic development initiatives for the Authority. His work has included leading public-private partnership efforts supporting transit-oriented development, advancing initiatives addressing food access and expanding the use of data science and analytics within the organization.

Ferguson has also represented the JTA before congressional leaders and the U.S. Department of Transportation on issues including federal support for safety-sensitive transportation operations, housing and transit, autonomous vehicle technology, workforce development and the use of advanced analytics in public transportation.

Before joining the JTA, Ferguson served as Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Jacksonville from 2012 to 2015 and as a tenured professor at Florida Coastal School of Law.

Ferguson is a graduate of Leadership Broward Class XXIII, Leadership Jacksonville (2010), Leadership Florida Class XXXIII and the 2017 Eno Transit Senior Executive Program. He is a member of The Florida Bar and the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.

He earned his Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Nova Southeastern University. Nova Southeastern conferred upon Ferguson a Doctor of Humane Letters in 2018. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution.

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About the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA)
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is an independent state agency serving Jacksonville, Florida, and Northeast Florida with multi-modal responsibilities. The JTA provides varied mass public transit services and builds roads, bridges, and other infrastructure to enhance mobility in Jacksonville. Public transportation services include BRT and regular bus service, Neighborhood Autonomous Vehicle Innovation (NAVI), paratransit, the St. Johns River Ferry, Skyway APM, and other mobility and on-demand services in Duval, Clay, Nassau, and St. Johns counties. To learn more, visit www.jtafla.com.

Media Contact:
For media inquiries, please contact:

Lynn Opperman
AVP – Marketing, Communications, and Customer Experience
Jacksonville Transportation Authority
lopperman@jtafla.com
(904) 676-7225