(Jacksonville, FL – January 16, 2026) After listening to the concerns of customers, the JTA plans to keep its premium Connexion Plus service with a new fare structure designed to cover some of the increased operation costs. The decision comes midway through two weeks of community meetings across the city on the JTA’s Fare Modification Pilot Program set to begin next month.

“We hold these meetings to hear directly from our customers and adjust our plans based on what matters most to them,” said JTA CEO Nat Ford. “We heard you loud and clear. Your feedback helped shape a solution that preserves this valued service while allowing the JTA to responsibly manage costs.” 

With the newly proposed rate structure, the JTA will still cover more than 75 percent of the cost for the average Connection Plus ride.

The proposed rate will be $10.00 for the first 8 miles and $3.50 per mile thereafter. The current rate is $6.00 for the first 15 miles and $2 per mile thereafter. The average Connexion Plus trip is 8 miles.

The total cost of Connexion Plus was $2.8 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. Last year, Connexion Plus cost $6.3 million, an increase of 124%. Costs are projected to top $8 million in 2026.

During the pilot, Connexion Plus customers will have a maximum of 40 trips available per month. Ninety-six percent of Connexion Plus customers are under that threshold, with a customer average of 13 trips monthly.

JTA staff will be monitoring ridership numbers, trends and gathering public feedback over the six-month pilot program and will make that data available to the public.

The JTA initially proposed combining Connexion Plus with the JTA’s original Connexion paratransit service which today offers many of the same services as Connexion Plus. After hearing community concerns at the JTA’s public input meetings, the JTA staff is now proposing a new rate structure that will allow the premium, private Connexion Plus service to continue.

Connexion is the City of Jacksonville’s paratransit service provided by the JTA. Connexion delivers destination-to-destination, shared public transportation for people with disabilities who are functionally unable to use fixed-route services for their transportation needs, and for people who are transportation disadvantaged (TD).

In 2019, the JTA launched Connexion Plus, a premium, on-demand, private (non-shared), same-day, door-to-door service, much like an Uber/Lyft ride, for eligible ADA or TD customers.

Of the more than 7,900 Connexion customers, 52 percent use only Connexion. Thirty-two percent use only Connexion Plus and 16 percent ride both. In FY2025, Connexion logged 284,074 trips whereas Connexion Plus logged 202,908 trips.

The JTA’s six-month Fare Modification Pilot Program begins February 1, 2026.

More information is available here.

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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:

Taniel Koushakjian
Director of Communications
Jacksonville Transportation Authority
tk@jtafla.com
(904) 632-5237