CASE STUDY
Vision for a Better Jacksonville: Autonomous Vehicles In June 1989, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), opened the first segment of the JTA Skyway, an elevated people-mover in the heart of downtown Jacksonville. The Skyway’s automated technology was a groundbreaking invention. It was one of only five systems of its kind built in the United States with the other four in Miami, Florida; Detroit, Michigan; Irving, Texas; and Morgantown, West Virginia. The Skyway was conceived as the answer to the congestion in Jacksonville’s urban core, but before the system was fully developed to traverse a 2.5-mile corridor downtown, the area began to decline. In 2000, voters approved a $2.25-billion Better Jacksonville Plan that called for road and infrastructure improvements, environmental preservation, targeted economic development, and new or improved public facilities. The end goal was to revive Downtown Jacksonville by making the city’s key corridor – Bay Street – the epicenter to live, work, and play with business, history, culture, art, education, and entertainment at its core. It is into this equation that the concept of bringing modern autonomous vehicles (AVs) into the mix became the laser-focused vision of the JTA. After years of extensive testing and development, the vision became a reality in June 2025 when the JTA became the first public transportation authority in North America to fully deploy autonomous vehicles. The launch of the JTA’s Ultimate Urban Circulator (U 2 C) vehicles occurred exactly 36 years after the June 1989 launch of the Skyway, bringing the past, present, and future full circle.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Background ................... 4 2 Laying the Foundation......10 3 Vision in Motion............. 20 4 The Future is Here.......... 28 5 Launch........................ 36 6 Economic Impact............ 46 7 Lessons Learned............ 50 8 Awards and Recognition... 56
Acknowledgements
HISTORIC MOMENT: North America’s first autonomous public transportation service launches in Jacksonville.
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MESSAGE FROM THE CEO On June 30, 2025, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) became the first public transportation agency in the United States to fully deploy autonomous vehicles in revenue service with the launch of the Neighborhood Autonomous Vehicle Innovation (NAVI) program along Bay Street. This milestone reflects far more than the introduction of new technology; it represents the disciplined application of subject- matter expertise, courageous leadership, and sustained community engagement to transform a long-held vision into a scalable public mobility solution. Over the past decade, the JTA deliberately evolved from a traditional transit operator into a modern mobility organization. Guided by Blueprint 2020 and the Route Optimization Initiative, the Authority redesigned an aging bus network while simultaneously strengthening its internal capabilities in governance, risk management, workforce development, and data-driven decision- making. This dual responsibility—modernizing the future while keeping legacy infrastructure safe, reliable, and operational—required technical rigor, institutional memory, and a willingness to rethink long-standing assumptions. Perhaps the most consequential decision was reimagining the Skyway not as a stranded asset, but as the backbone of an integrated autonomous vehicle network. This choice demanded courage: balancing public trust, regulatory uncertainty, operational risk, and fiscal stewardship while continuing to deliver daily service. Through sustained engagement with riders, neighborhoods, elected officials, and industry experts, the JTA aligned infrastructure investments, policy frameworks, and talent development with the real needs of a growing city. NAVI’s launch is the visible outcome of a broad ecosystem working in concert. Partnerships with the City of Jacksonville, the Florida Department of Transportation, the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, JAXUSA, Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), and private-sector collaborators including Beep, HOLON, and the Vision 2 Reality team
At the JTA, we recognize the positive impact of autonomous vehicle technology—not only in enhancing mobility, but also in creating new economic opportunities for our city and region.
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translated shared ideas into smart infrastructure, workforce pipelines, and operational standards that make autonomous mobility a dependable public service rather than an experiment. The Ultimate Urban Circulator (U 2 C) program was shaped by crisis as much as by ambition. Years of testing at the Armsdale Test and Learn Track and the FSCJ pilot refined safety and operational requirements, while the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated real-world application. Deployments at the Mayo Clinic demonstrated how autonomous technology could protect frontline workers and sustain essential services—proving scalability under pressure. Economic impacts are already evident. HOLON’s $100 million investment in its first U.S. manufacturing facility signals confidence in Jacksonville’s mobility ecosystem. A 2025 University of North Florida study projects more than 800 jobs and approximately $87 million in annual economic output from U 2 C and HOLON combined. This case study is offered not as a celebration of “firsts,” but as a blueprint for agencies ready to convert expertise, courage, and community trust into resilient, scalable mobility—while honoring the responsibility of maintaining the systems that cities depend on every day.
Sincerely,
Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. Chief Executive Officer
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BACKGROUND
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1971
FROM THE JTA SKYWAY TO THE U 2 C The Skyway opened in Jacksonville, Florida in 1989 to great fanfare. Operated by the JTA, the Skyway was one of only five elevated people-movers in the United States, an experiment of the Urban Mass Transit Administration (UMTA) to help eliminate traffic and parking congestion in the downtown urban core of bustling cities. The 2.5 mile Skyway, which received $23.5 million in funding from the U.S. DOT, traveled at a speed of 35 miles per hour. It stopped at eight stations in Downtown Jacksonville, crossing the St. Johns River and the Acosta Bridge, and became an iconic form of urban mobility for daily commuters and tourists.
The Jacksonville Expressway Authority becomes the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) as it enters the bus business.
1972
An automated people mover for Downtown Jacksonville was first proposed to deal with traffic and parking issues in the urban core.
1976
City of Jacksonville (COJ) votes to incorporate an automated people mover into its mobility plan.
JTA agrees to develop people mover and the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate Appropriations Conference Committee vote to include Jacksonville among the cities selected for UMTA’s Downtown People Mover Program, joining Miami and Detroit among others.
1977
1985
The Skyway’s driverless trains were operated by an automatic train control, with one operator on board. Initial plans were to expand the Skyway to surrounding neighborhoods, but that never happened due to lack of funding and political concerns. Further, service on the Skyway never met projections of 100,000 monthly riders, which was attributed in part to the decline of a robust workforce downtown and that the people-mover did not connect to surrounding neighborhoods. In addition, the Skyway only operated on weekdays and for special events. By 2015, 26 years after Skyway service began, four of 10 Skyway vehicles were out of commission and couldn’t be repaired because parts had become obsolete. Recognizing that the Skyway had become an iconic part of the city’s history, the JTA Board of Directors pondered its future. Options included refurbishing operable vehicles, purchasing replacement cars for the four that were out-of-service, modernizing and expanding the entire system, or tearing it down altogether. Rather than make this critical decision in a vacuum, the Board created a Skyway Advisory Group (SAG) in 2015 comprised of people who were most impacted by the people-mover. The SAG included JTA customers from downtown businesses, students, and educators, as well as members of Jacksonville’s corporate, civic, and nonprofit sectors.
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awards JTA $23.5 million (total cost: $34.6 million) to build the first segment of the Skyway elevated people mover.
1989
Skyway opens, traveling .7 miles through Downtown Jacksonville.
1999
Northbound, eastbound, and southbound extensions added to the Skyway – along with five new stations – bringing the full length to 2.5 miles.
2009
Skyway ridership fails to meet projections – declining downtown workforce, lack of connectivity to other transit modes are blamed.
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The birth of an autonomous vehicle program By the end of 2015, after numerous meetings and an online survey that received more than 1,600 responses, the SAG made its recommendation. To keep the Skyway infrastructure, they advised the JTA Board to find a way to modernize and expand. The Board adopted the recommendation and, in turn, gave the JTA administration one year to find an alternative use for the Skyway that would take the system into the future. CEO Nat Ford came to the JTA in 2012 with a reputation as a visionary who embraced technology and who was known for launching first-of-a-kind innovations at the previous transit authorities he led.
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The Ultimate Urban Circulator (U²C) is a program to introduce autonomous vehicles (AVs) into the JTA’s transportation system. The U²C will extend reach within the urban core and into adjacent neighborhoods to support the vision of a vibrant, revitalized and better-connected Downtown Jacksonville.
Map: Bay Street Innovation Corridor
Charged with finding a long-term solution for the JTA Skyway that would address the new mobility paradigm the industry was undergoing, The JTA’s CEO and Executive Leadership Team (ELT), worked closely with the Authority’s Planning, Development and Innovation Department led by Brad Thoburn, VP of Planning, Development, and Automation, to identify a way forward. After meetings with Thoburn, the JTA proposed modernizing the Skyway by utilizing the infrastructure for autonomous vehicles. It was a bold idea. While the Skyway was automated, it was not autonomous. To build the infrastructure compatible for AVs would require years of testing and development for the vehicles. It would also require new technology systems to be installed on Bay Street, the heartbeat of downtown that the city wanted to revive. With a vision toward the future, JTA leadership set in motion plans to integrate autonomous vehicle technology using the existing Skyway infrastructure to provide both elevated and street level high-frequency transportation with fully automated vehicles and shuttles.
PHASE I
PHASE I: The Bay Street Innovation Corridor
Bay Street is a 3.5 mile corridor connecting businesses, residences, and entertainment through the heart of downtown Jacksonville. Through a partnership with the JTA, the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, the City of Jacksonville, the Florida Department of Transportation, the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (NFTPO), and the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) Bay Street had been selected to be a “smart” corridor that connects people to places using smart technologies.
“It was that innovative brainstorming team that came up with the U 2 C program,” Ford recalled.
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Smart technologies such as: • D ynamic signals , connected intersections, integrated data exchange • P edestrian detection and flood warning sensors that will detect operational disruption in the event of a flood • M odernized traffic signals with priority technology • Wayside passenger kiosks with video call capabilities for customer support • Open pay validators that are compatible with a variety of payment options and will decrease boarding time • A private 5G network that will provide secured, consistent data transmission and communication with the autonomous vehicles • Smart lighting to illuminate station areas Together, the smart technology will help relieve parking and traffic congestion on Bay Street and boost the local
economy in the process. Bay Street has 12 arts and cultural attractions, six sports venues, eight parks, 38 restaurants and eateries, 20 bars and clubs, and a half-dozen retail outlets and two hotels with another underway. The Bay Street Innovation Corridor (BSIC) was designated Phase I of the JTA’s U 2 C buildout. The Authority plans to expand the initiative within the next 10 years in two additional phases.
PHASE II - Skyway Conversion
Phase II will be the full conversion of the existing Skyway Superstructure and eight stations into an elevated roadway for autonomous vehicles. The above-ground conversion will be built in 2031 or 2032. The JTA is currently undergoing the environment and project development design process and seeking public private partnerships to help fund the estimated $400 million in construction costs. The Authority has dedicated $246.7 million in local option gas tax (LOGT) funds for Skyway rehabilitation and service expansion capital improvements. The current bi-directional Skyway tracks run approximately 2.5 miles in each direction from the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center (JRTC) at LaVilla, the JTA’s headquarters and Intercity Bus Terminal, and will stretch to four additional stations on the Downtown Northbank, across the St. Johns River over the Acosta Bridge to three stations on the Downtown Southbank. Phase II also includes the street level connection to Phase I on Bay Street. The LaVilla neighborhood on the West Corridor of Bay Street has a rich history as a district that grew around a railroad hub and became the center of African-American culture and nightlife, earning the moniker “Harlem of the South.” LaVilla is undergoing a revitalization that includes new residential and business developments, a park and nature trail amenities.
PHASE II
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PHASE III - Neighborhood Extensions
The JTA plans to advance the design of the U 2 C for about 5 more miles in the last phase of the buildout that is estimated to cost between $50 million to $75 million to complete. A Transit Concepts and Alternatives Review (TCAR) planning exercise was completed in 2020 that identified alternatives for each of the proposed Skyway corridor extensions including: • Southwest Corridor - Brooklyn and Riverside have large office towers just over the edge of Downtown and melt into a blend of historic homes and eclectic shops and restaurants. Redevelopment in the northern portion of the corridor is bringing more places to live, work, shop, and dine. Planned autonomous vehicles will help connect future residents to areas within the corridor, as well as invite them to explore nearby neighborhoods reachable by the U 2 C program.
PHASE III
• Southbank Corridor - The Southbank portion of the corridor has medical, office, and residential towers. The historic San Marco neighborhood has charming homes and small businesses. • North Corridor - The historic Springfield area was once served by streetcars along Main Street and has undergone a renaissance with new and renovated homes and shops. Area residents and business owners are highly engaged in the community and host neighborhood festivals and events.
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FOUNDATION for the U 2 C Program Laying the
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TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
In late 2012, when Nat Ford was hired to be the JTA’s new CEO, the Authority was meeting its responsibilities by operating fixed-route bus service, repairing bridges, building roads, and operating within budget. But there was an opportunity to do much more. An independent consultant reported in an assessment of the JTA that the Authority had outdated technology, inadequate staffing levels and customer service, misaligned internal and external communication, and substandard on-time bus performance that was 20% below industry peers. Road projects stalled and a local option gas tax (LOGT) that could help pay for infrastructure improvements was scheduled to sunset. The internal leadership culture and external view of the authority’s reputation was good, but not great. Transforming the Authority into a leader in the industry was a priority of Ford’s soon after he joined the JTA. He knew the JTA had the potential to be one of the best in the country. In extensive listening sessions and meetings with a cross-section of the public that included customers, business executives, government leaders, nonprofits, and the private sector, a common refrain was that the JTA needed to transform into a modern authority to meet the demands of a growing city that stretched into the suburbs with customers who wanted more mobility and connectivity options.
“The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them.”
John C. Maxwell, The 17 th Irrefutable Laws of Teamwork
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JTA’s Leadership Focus With that assessment, the ELT identified four key areas that would define the JTA’s focus for the future: To accomplish that required executives and managers with a high degree of integrity and professional skills to get the job done and raise the confidence level of JTA stakeholders. Rather than assemble his own team from previous organizations, the JTA hired C. Robinson Associates, a consulting firm that specializes in organizational development, to restructure the Authority in a fair and democratic manner. Candidates for leadership positions were required to have a proven track record of bringing positive change and possessing the identified characteristics of a leader. Being innovative, open-minded and creative were key.
12 ELEMENTS OF A LEADER
Team
Player
Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and managerial candidates were asked to conduct self-evaluations to determine if they possessed a dozen characteristics that new JTA leaders would need to transform the organization from good to great.
HIGH ENERGY Engaged
Courageous Strategic Thinker
Change Agent
GOOD COMMUNICATOR
Customer-focused
Inspirational
INNOVATIVE
Critical Thinker
Accountable
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JTA leadership is encouraged to actively participate in industry and community organizations to strengthen professional expertise, foster strategic partnerships, elevate the Authority’s visibility, and ensure the JTA remains informed, competitive, and responsive to emerging trends in mobility and public service. Leadership and Advocacy: At the congressional level to promote federal spending for infrastructure and other public transit initiatives; • New Mobility Paradigm: • Focused on innovations and technology that was transforming the industry, such as autonomous vehicle technology that drives the demand for integrated mobility services; • Workforce of the Future: To retain, attract, and invest in the best and brightest employees at all levels of transit organizations; • Leveraging Big Data: Resource sharing industry-wide about techniques to improve organizations; and • Enterprise Risk Management: To mitigate and minimize the risk of cybersecurity threats and terrorism.
“These priorities will serve APTA now and in the future as we prepare for the greatest change in society since the Industrial Revolution.”
— CEO Ford in 2017 address to APTA
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The JTA developed and completed strategic initiatives outlined in a roadmap for the future called Blueprint 2020 that transformed the Authority and strengthened stakeholder confidence more than at any time in the history of the organization.
Route Optimization Initiative: A game-changer for the JTA
In 2013, the JTA’s transformation was well underway. The JTA received Board approval to dust off and implement an ambitious plan that had been approved years earlier called the Blueprint for Transportation Excellence. This condensed roadmap, Blueprint 2020, consisted of 10 strategic initiatives, many of which were shovel-ready or already planned, that could be accomplished by the year 2020. The initiatives would forever change the Authority and laid the foundation for it to become the regional transportation leader in Northeast Florida that it is today, with an expanded service area from the City of Jacksonville and surrounding Duval County to the suburbs. Improving on-time transit operations topped the list, when an analysis showed that JTA buses departed from and arrived at designated stops only 60% of the time, almost 20 percentage points below the industry average. In response to this, the on-time transit operations (OTTO) initiative was launched to address service reliability. The administration broke down silos between departments by assigning route owners – some of whom had never worked in Operations before – to 12 of the lowest-performing bus routes to determine what prevented them from running on time. Routes that performed well were also analyzed so their method of success could be shared.
Through that exercise it became clear that the main hindrance to on-time performance was the JTA’s outdated bus network. For example: • Service frequency was extremely poor with only two routes running at 30-minute intervals • Service span catered to a 9-to-5 workforce when what commuters really needed was early, late and weekend service to get to and from work • Mainline routes had long waits and exhaustive rides • Poor coordination between routes often meant that routes were circuitous and transferring from one bus to another resulted in lengthy wait times Meanwhile, customers complained that all routes forced them to travel downtown even if they were trying to get to another location in the same section of the city. Many customers said they would like access to technology that would tell them when the next bus would arrive. They also noted that some buses were practically empty while others had standing room only, which meant the JTA needed to do a better job of allocating resources. Armed with that information, the Executive Leadership Team directed Operations planners to build an entirely new system from scratch, a monumental but much needed task.
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New System. New Routes. New Way. In a single day, the comprehensive Route Optimization Initiative greatly improved JTA service and positioned the Authority to be a regional transportation leader in Northeast Florida. At a one-time cost of $2.1 million in operating and capital funds, the ROI enabled the JTA to: • Remove 30 percent of bus stops to reduce travel time between stops • Install 128 new ADA compliant stops • Increase the number of routes with 30-minute frequency from 2 to 20 • Install 10 routes with 15-minute frequency, a first in JTA’s history
At every step in the process, JTA leaders engaged the public and key stakeholders from business, government, and civic and nonprofit groups to keep them informed and to obtain their input about how to refine the plan. Community engagement has continued to be a cornerstone for the JTA. After 18 months of intense planning that involved every level of the Authority, the JTA was ready to implement the groundbreaking Route Optimization Initiative, known to many as ROI. Rather than phasing the changes in gradually, the Authority made the transformation overnight. Anything less was unacceptable because it would not result in the total-system redesign that was needed. Like an army preparing for a stealth operation, the JTA readied its teams for the December 1, 2014 ROI launch. The big day coincided with the move of the JTA headquarters from its Myrtle Street campus to a temporary location in Downtown Jacksonville, a move necessary to prepare for a permanent relocation to the future Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla, another game-changing Blueprint 2020 initiative. If anyone questioned the impact of the transformational leadership of 2013, they didn’t anymore. The traits sought in JTA leaders would reverberate with the ELT and department managers tasked with running the Authority’s day-to-day operations while simultaneously overhauling the decades old system. Characteristics like “high-energy,” “engaged,” “customer-focused,” “innovative,” and “strategic thinker” took on new meaning. Perhaps, that explains the camaraderie JTA staff exhibited when they took to their trucks, two-by-two, in the wee hours of December 1 to remove bags that hid nearly 2,900 new bus stop signs from public view until buses began rolling at the crack of dawn. Or the excitement and sense of pride that permeated from the JTA boardroom turned Command Central, where the CEO and ELT received periodic updates throughout Day One on the progress of the launch.
• Install nearly 2,900 new bus stop signs • Implement the Real-Time Passenger Information system-wide • Double routes operating after 11 p.m. from 11 to 22 • Increase routes operating after midnight from 3 to 16 • Speed up weekend service to run more frequently • Increase route supervision, system branding, safety and security and adopted new protocol for naming routes • Adopt a new, more professional dress code for operators • Solidify the concept of teamwork among JTA staff The ROI didn’t just change the game in transportation for the JTA, it represented the first total-system overhaul in modern history for a transit authority of any scope or size.
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BLUEPRINT 2020 IMPL
2013
2015
• Won approval from the Jacksonville City Council to extend a local-option gas tax to generate $159 million for road and corridor improvements to relieve bottlenecks and enhance mobility. • Launched the First Coast Flyer (FCF) BRT system on the North Corridor Green Line, the first leg of a 57-mile network that is the largest in the Southeastern United States.
• Led a regional effort to successfully launch a 13-county online trip-planning initiative to make it easier for customers to identify and make reservations with public and private regional transportation providers. • Launched the On-Time Transit Operations to improve bus stop arrival and departure times. Performance increased from 66% in May 2013 to 87% in 2019. • Enhanced the Authority’s collaboration with the Northeast Florida Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) and assisted in the development of the Regional Multimodal Transportation Plan and the Regional Transit Action Plan. • Increased regional partnerships by partnering with Clay County to build a park-n-ride facility and started the Clay Express from the station to Downtown Jacksonville. Also provided support for transit studies in Nassau and Clay counties. • Conducted a total system overhaul for the first time in 30 years with the Route Optimization Initiative. The redesign expanded service and made routes more direct and frequent. The ROI expanded service on evenings and weekends to serve the needs of Jacksonville’s changing workforce. • Redesigned the JTA website to make it contemporary, bilingual, high-speed and user-friendly, with trip planning, real-time passenger information and increased functionality. • Launched real-time passenger information across the system to give customers up-to-date arrival times for buses on their smartphones or computers. A similar app, thebus.mobi, was developed for paratransit customers.
2016
• Updated the Myrtle Avenue campus to an operations campus under a master plan to accommodate growth of the transit fleet and better serve the community. The plan included relocating JTA’s Connexion paratransit service, administration offices, Scheduling, Dispatch and Eligibility Testing to Myrtle Avenue. Operations and Maintenance facilities were renovated and bus parking was expanded to accommodate the FCF BRT. • Purchased CNG buses for fixed-route service to reduce pollutants, with the goal of adding a total of 100 CNG vehicles to the JTA fleet. • Launched the FCF South Corridor Blue Line. • Received the 2016 Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award from APTA and the Outstanding Transportation System Award from FPTA.
2014
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EMENTATION TIMELINE
ROUTE OPTIMIZATION INITIATIVE (ROI) New System. New Routes. New Way.
2019
2017
• Opened the IBT and welcomed Greyhound as the Authority’s first partner. • Completed nearly all of the Blueprint 2020 initiatives one year ahead of schedule and came on track and within budget to finish the JRTC at LaVilla.
• Broke ground on the Intercity Bus Terminal (IBT) for Greyhound at the JRTC at LaVilla that would have hubs for JTA fixed-route and BRT buses, and Megabus.
2018
2020
• Opened the JRTC at LaVilla, the JTA’s crowning initiative to improve mobility and connectivity and to stimulate the economy in Jacksonville and the Northeast Florida region. • CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. is named Outstanding Public Transportation Manager of the Year by APTA. • The JTA is named the 2020 Outstanding Public Transportation System of the Year by the Florida Public Transportation Association. • Developed and launched MOVE, Mobility Optimized through Vision and Excellence, a host of strategic mobility initiatives that addressed first-and-last mile rides, enhanced access to essential services, and helped the Jacksonville community cope with the pandemic while the city was largely closed to prevent the spread of the virus.
• Launched the FCF East Corridor Red Line to the beaches. JTA continued to pursue Federal Transit Administration (FTA) New Starts funding for the last leg of the 57-mile system, the Southwest Purple Line.
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THE PERFECT STORM Completion of Blueprint 2020 initiatives was not the end- of-the-road for JTA advancements and milestones to provide outstanding service, stimulate the economy, and improve the quality of life for people in Jacksonville and its environs. While Jacksonville and the rest of the world was shut down during COVID to help stop the spread of the virus, the JTA kept moving in other, innovative ways to help the community. “The most important thing we did happened long before there was any mention of COVID. We developed an organization that recognized its importance to the community far beyond building roads, bridges or enhancing public transit,” said Ford. “We developed a spirit of community builders whose role is to truly improve the quality of life.” “So when the pandemic showed up the team was positioned to think ‘how do we go beyond to help our community successfully survive this life-changing pandemic?’ Employees at every level thought about how they could do what they needed to do in their respective positions, and help the community at the same time.” The answer for the Automation & Innovation Division was to put the U 2 C program to the ultimate test by deploying autonomous vehicles where they were most needed. After talking with Ford, the JTA’s VP of the department, Bernard Schmidt, called the Chief Innovation Officer at the esteemed Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Dr. Charles Bruce, in March 2020 to ask if the Authority could help. The JTA believed it could relieve some of the work of Mayo’s essential medical personnel by using
autonomous vehicles to transport COVID-19 tests and samples from a laboratory at one end of the sprawling Mayo campus to the other. The operation would free up the medical staff that was working nonstop to perform other life-saving tasks. It would also reduce the risk of Mayo workers contaminating samples or contracting the virus. Mayo Clinic officials readily agreed with the idea and a partnership was formed that was a first in the nation. Within one week, Mayo gave the JTA the green light to proceed. Immediately the Automation & Innovation Division set up a mobile command center on the Mayo campus to develop the logistics and mapping needed to program U 2 C vehicles to make the runs. The cars, already positioned in place, were manufactured by Beep and NAVYA. Every day, from April through July, the JTA’s fleet of bright blue autonomous vehicles coasted up and down the campus transporting samples to the lab. The team accomplished in one month what would typically take several months to coordinate and implement. During a period of four months, four AVs drove 200 miles making 227 runs with 30,000 COVID samples at Level 4 autonomy that did not require any attendants to be on board during the operation.
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Before the end of 2020, the JTA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) to open a Test & Learn Track at the college’s Cecil Field to continue testing and development of autonomous vehicles. Meanwhile, JTA leadership and Board members kept the U 2 C program top-of-mind among their peers in the industry and in the public by promoting it whenever they could. They were ambassadors who were well-prepared to answer questions and explain the concept of automated vehicles in the Jacksonville and Northeast Florida community. While in Germany to accept the ITS award, JTA Board member Jolly toured the HOLON AV manufacturing plant and met with top HOLON executives to share information about the JTA’s exciting U 2 C program that was still in development.
The initiative proved so valuable that in late 2020, the JTA received world recognition when it was given the ITS World Congress Hall of Fame Local Government Award for the Americas Region at the 27th World Congress in Hamburg, Germany. The Authority also received the 1st Place Award for Innovation & Creativity for the Mayo Clinic partnership from the Florida Public Transportation Association (FPTA). The JTA’s altruism went beyond Mayo. In 2020 two other programs were launched that enabled people to obtain COVID vaccinations, Wellness on Wheels and Rides to Health. The JTA’s Wellness on Wheels was a 30-day program campaign that provided more than 11,000 people with rides to state and federal vaccination sites using free, one-day passes. The Authority’s Maintenance Department also converted buses to use as mobile health clinics to enable more residents to receive vaccinations. The program received an FPTA award. To implement Rides to Health, the Authority formed partnerships with Uber and ZTrip to provide 4,000 free rides to COVID vaccination and screening sites within a three-mile radius.
In 2021, the Jacksonville City Council passed a second LOGT to generate $1 billion during the next 30 years for the city and JTA-led infrastructure improvements. The JTA also celebrated the Authority’s 50th Anniversary that year and completed the last leg of the First Coast Flyer system, making its 57- mile system the biggest bus rapid transit network in the Southeast.
The MOVE strategic plan adopted in 2020 became MOVE2027 in 2022, which focused on mobility partnerships that enhanced accessibility and connectivity that the Authority could implement within five years. The smorgasbord of services includes rapid transit, microtransit, fixed-route, on-demand, ferry, door-to- door services and paratransit. The Authority’s service area has grown from Jacksonville and surrounding Duval County to Clay, Nassau, and St. Johns counties in the suburbs and effectively established the JTA as the leading transportation provider in Northeast Florida.
In August of that year, the JTA Board awarded a contract to Balfour Beatty Vision 2 Reality (V2R), to build the first phase of the U 2 C program on Bay Street. Balfour was also the contractor that built the Authority’s landmark Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center (JRTC) at LaVilla, a $57 million facility that houses the JTA headquarters, bus transfer facility, and 10,000 square foot Greyhound Intercity Bus Terminal.
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The U 2 C
VISION
to Reality
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THE U 2 C ECOSYSTEM The JTA created an ecosystem that helped galvanize broad-based support for the U 2 C program and move it from a vision to reality. For every strategic initiative planned, every new project launched, such as the historic route optimization initiative and SAG, JTA leaders engaged with the general public, customers, government, business, corporate and civic leaders, educators, and industry executives. In addition to being transparent about the JTA’s vision and where it was going in the future, The JTA Executive Leadership Team welcomed input and shared ideas with diverse audiences. The CEO encouraged JTA executives to join organizations such as Leadership Jacksonville, Leadership Florida, APTA, FPTA, the North Florida Public Transportation Organization (NFTPO), the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, and others. He saw the value of being immersed in the community by serving on nonprofit boards such as Goodwill Industries of North Florida, Sulzbacher Village for women in transition, the Urban Land Institute, medical institutions and the Jacksonville Transportation Advisory Committee.
Partnering with schools such as Florida State College, Jacksonville University, and Duval County Public Schools helped JTA executives stay in tuned with how transportation could support the community, the region, and the economy. “Whenever Ford or the ELT or JTA Board had an opportunity to promote the U 2 C program they did. Not just the program and the vehicles. They discussed all the elements in the ecosystem that created an environment for advancement,” said Ivan Rodriguez-Seda, the JTA’s former director of Government and Industry Affairs and policy advisor to the JTA.
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U 2 U C ECOSYSTEM C ECOSYSTEM
Board of Directors, CEO, ELT, Staff, Skyway Advisory Committee JTA
Charrette Participants, Duval County Public Schools, First Responders Council, JTAC, LaVilla Heritage Trail & Gateway Committee, River City Science Academy Community
City of Jacksonville, DIA, FTA, State of Florida, JAXPort, JEA, JSO, NHTSA, North Florida TPO, USDOT Government
Business
Industry
Bay Street Corridor Businesses, Consumer Technology Association, DVI, Jacksonville Jaguars, JAXUSA, JAX Chamber,
ACES Mobility Coalition, APTA, FBT, FPTA, Int’l Association for Public Transport (UITP), ITS America, TEAMFL, TRB
Mayo Clinic, Vision 2 Reality (V2R) Partners
DCPS, FSCJ, FSU, Florida Polytechnic University, JTA University, IAM, Labor Unions Workforce
22 | ULTIMATE URBAN CIRCULATOR – A CASE STUDY
Every facet of the ecosystem played a role that led directly or indirectly to the JTA’s successful launch of the country’s first fully deployed, revenue generating autonomous vehicle program in the United States in June 2025. • Government leaders at the local, state, and federal levels helped secure funding for the first phase of the U 2 C development and deployment on Bay Street. From the $12.5 million BUILD grant, which was personally delivered to the JTA by former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, to the FDOT State of Florida that provided another $13 million to complete the first phase of the $65 million initiative. A portion of the funds were also used for the AIC. • Industry provided the platform to test different automated vehicles and develop standards for the JTA’s U 2 C program; • Business leaders supported testing and development, helped develop tax incentives, and promoted the impact the AV service will have on the local economy. The V2R team was part of this group; • Workforce development programs and initiatives were created at the JTA, FSCJ, and Jacksonville University to promote education and training in automation technology for existing workers; • Community residents, customers, families and tourists learned the benefits of AV technology in daily travel by taking simulated rides at the JTA’s Armsdale Test and Learn Track and at events around the city where the JTA made test vehicles available. “The ecosystem has a ripple effect. If you build it they will come,” said JTA Board member Ari Jolly. “It will attract other business by having the skillset, the education, and the interest in the new technology and being able to offer other manufacturers the talent.”
To help prepare for the future of AV’s, the JTA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with FSCJ to offer AV service at the downtown Jacksonville campus through a one-year pilot program to transport students, faculty, and visitors. The JTA also had a MOU with Florida Polytechnic University which had the first test track for the U 2 C program in 2017. The JTA has collaborated with FSCJ and BEEP to develop a college curriculum. Meanwhile, the JTA is assessing internal workforce development programs to train existing employees for AV technology. A workforce skill gap assessment and analysis is underway to determine current and future needs for AV upskilling. Training programs will be tailored to meet those needs.
ULTIMATE URBAN CIRCULATOR – A CASE STUDY | 23
Vision in Motion Public interest in the U 2 C program continued to swell. The tracks hosted countless events and demonstrations to showcase vehicles it was considering for deployment in 2025. The JTA tested eight vehicles on five different platforms to power the U 2 C program, including the EZ10 shuttle by Eazy Mile, the Navya from France, the Olli from the former Local Motors in Phoenix, Arizona that was built using 3-D printing technology, the EV-Star from Green Power Motor Company in Canada, the WAEV Gem, a solar-powered AV from Perrone Robotics, and the Ford Pro E-Transit, which is Buy America compliant.
24 | ULTIMATE URBAN CIRCULATOR – A CASE STUDY
THE GOLDEN 20 REQUIREMENTS
The Authority knew that whoever manufactured the vehicles would need to comply with Buy America mandates passed by Congress that states that public dollars used to purchase steel, iron and manufactured goods for transportation projects must be produced in America. The only problem was AV technology hadn’t been used in full deployment anywhere in the U.S., although more than 40 agencies have tested them to one degree or another, so guidelines were needed specify how vehicles should be built to be safe.
With that in mind, the JTA developed what it called the Golden 20, a list of critical requirements for AV shuttles and vehicles designed to coexist in public transit. Since 2019, when the list was initially adopted by the JTA, it has grown to 208 requirements the Authority considers industry best practices for other public transportation agencies to reference and use.
5
3
7
Full ADA Compliance 1
2
4
6
Buy America/ Buy American Compliance
Cybersecurity
NHTSA Approval to operate on Public Road
Traverse Slope of ± 12 Degrees w/ Full Passenger load (Sustained Acceleration/ Deceleration)
Remote Route Programming w/ Low Latency
Vehicle to Infrastructure and V2X Capabilities (DSRC & 5G)
13
11
9
10
12
8
Operate bi-directionally up to 35 MPH
May Operate during Inclement Weather (Rain, Fog, Wind, and Extreme Heat)
More than 12 hours of battery life
Operate at speeds of 15 MPH within ± 1 foot of Stationary Object Operate at speeds of 15 MPH within ± 3 feet of Moving Object
Ability to be towed; Push/Pull and Steer AV Manually or towed via another AV
Internal Cab – Environment control with Rapid Cool capability & Sustained temperature with Full Passenger Load
17
15
19
14
16
18
20
System for recording/ storing video for at least 30 days (Black Box)
Emergency button to contact Authority/Agency control center
Remote command & control operations of vehicles with low latency
Complete Vehicle Monitoring system, including health monitoring
Crash Worthy up to 35 MPH
Ability for Fast Charge/ Opportunity Charging
Ability to regulate passenger capacity
V2R: The Dream Team Although no American manufacturer had built an AV before that met all of the requirements, Beep, a member of the Vision 2 Reality (V2R) team, said it could retrofit and customize Ford vehicles with the specifications. Meanwhile, Balfour Beatty oversaw construction of the smart technology needed for the Bay Street corridor that the vehicles would navigate. The technology and electrification was completed by V2R team members Superior Construction Company Southeast, WGI, Inc., Urban SDK, Miller Electric, and Grayline. The collaboration was a key part of the ecosystem that brought the U 2 C program to life on the BSIC.
The Balfour Beatty led V2R team was laser focused on Bay Street and oversaw development of 60% of the design. The construction project was funded with a portion of the $65 million from the JTA and state and federal funds that included the $12.5 million BUILD grant. Community and business stakeholders that supported the project consisted of: Jax Chamber, City of Jacksonville, North Florida TPO, Downtown Investment Authority, the JEA, Jacksonville Jaguars, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and, of course, the JTA.
ULTIMATE URBAN CIRCULATOR – A CASE STUDY | 25
ULTIMATE URBAN CIRCULATOR
2017
2014
• JTA develops a “Golden 20” list of must- haves for any vehicle they consider purchasing for the AV program.
• USDOT awards JTA a $12.5 million grant to for the U 2 C’s Bay Street Innovation Corridor (BSIC), a planned three-mile segment in Downtown. Driverless shuttles will link TIAA Field (home of the NFL Jaguars) with the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center (home to JTA) and a host of business and entertainment venues in between. 2019
• JTA develops Blueprint 2020, a strategic roadmap of shovel-ready initiatives to modernize the Authority.
• Autonomous vehicles emerge as the best way to re-purpose the current people mover, JTA’s Board votes to make the visionary policy recommendation official.
• JTA deploys U 2 C vehicles to Florida’s world-renowned Mayo Clinic to transport COVID test samples across campus using Level 4 (driverless) autonomy, saving lives and safeguarding medical personnel.
• JTA and COJ celebrate 25 years of the Skyway in operation.
• JTA opens 1/3-mile Test and Learn track in Downtown JAX to give public demonstrations and assess AV performance. • JTA holds first-ever autonomous vehicle demonstration, with the EZ10 shuttle performing as planned.
• JTA signs an agreement with Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) to bring AV testing and education to campus.
• JTA expands autonomous vehicle operations by opening the new Armsdale Test & Learn Facility, becoming one of the most comprehensive AV testing programs in the nation. • Indoor classrooms and gathering spaces complement an outdoor test lab with “real-world” obstacles such as stops, roundabouts, speed bumps and even a rain simulator.
• Plan calls for a Skyway Assessment study to determine people mover’s future. 2015 • JTA creates Skyway Advisory Group (SAG) comprised of stakeholders from business, government, nonprofit, senior, and special needs communities.
• One-mile test track with more space to evaluate maneuverability set up at Cecil Field under agreement with FSCJ.
• Smart Region Plan adopted by the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization and partner agencies, including JTA. • Nat Ford becomes Chair of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), and puts innovation and mobility as two of his priorities for the public transportation industry. 2018 • JTA applies for a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant from FTA to develop an autonomous transportation network Downtown. • JTA’s AV program is branded “Ultimate Urban Circulator” (U 2 C).
• Zero-emission AVs from different manufacturers continue to be tested. JTA has now evaluated eight AVs from different manufacturers on five platforms.
• USDOT Secretary Elaine Chao personally presents BUILD Grant check to JTA. • U 2 C transit-oriented development (TOD) pilot study initiated. 2020 • COVID-19 pandemic brings the world to a standstill, empowering JTA’s essential workers to continue to provide vital services to other essential workers and customers.
• JTA’s Board adopts SAG’s recommendation to keep, modernize and expand the Skyway, giving staff 12 months to develop alternatives. 2016 • JTA staff recommends replacing the Skyway with autonomous vehicles traveling the current route and an extension connecting Riverside and the downtown sports complex.
• JTA begins partnership with GreenPower Motor Company and industry partners to develop a fully autonomous EV Star shuttle
2021
2022
• JTA Board of Directors approves the MOVE2027 Strategic Plan, developed to keep the Authority at the forefront of a changing region and mobility landscape.
• HOLON BENTELER (Project Link) announces AV manufacturing facility in Jacksonville. • JTA and the FPTA award statewide AV contracts to 3 vendors, permitting any public entity in the state or nation to purchase AV deployments under a piggybacking effort. • JTA begins the retrofitting process for the Ford E-Transit vehicles. 2025 • JTA announces a MOU with FSCJ resulting in new internships and a curriculum for students seeking degrees in automotive technology and related areas. • JTA begins testing AVs along the Bay Street Innovation Corridor (BSIC). • JTA opens the Autonomous Innovation Center (AIC) and unveils the vehicle service name, NAVI (Neighborhood Autonomous Vehicle Innovation). • JTA Board authorizes the purchase of 14 autonomous HOLON urban vehicles for deployment in Phase 1 of the U²C program and 86 for future phases. • The FTA approves JTA to begin revenue service on June 30, 2025. JTA completes burn-in testing. • Together with Guident and AV America, the JTA hosts a day-long National Autonomous Vehicle (NAV) Day 2025 Conference showcasing AVs and their impact on public transportation.
WEBINAR SERIES
• JTA is awarded a $1.72 million RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant from USDOT to support planning of the U 2 C’s third phase.
• JTA launches an AV podcast series “Autonomous Mobility” to discuss challenges and solutions with industry experts. • JTA hosts multiple meetings with executives from Project Link to discuss JTA’s U 2 C Program and deployments of AV across Florida and the U.S. 2024
• JTA receives WAEV GEM – a solar- powered AV – from industry partners for testing.
• Partnerships and internships with Duval County Public Schools, KIPP Academy, and the Jewish Community Alliance are created for STEM and STEAM students. • The Jacksonville City Council approves Local Option Gas Tax as a dedicated funding source for transportation infrastructure, including the U 2 C.
• JTA’s Automation Team hosted the Florida Automated Vehicles (FAV) Summit in Amelia Island, showcasing JTA’s expertise to the global industry. 2023
• U 2 C vehicles operate on FSCJ’s downtown campus with industry partners Beep and Oxa in a one-year pilot program – the first in Florida to use AVs to transport students, faculty, and visitors. • Project Link manufacturer visits Jacksonville to meet with JTA, JAXUSA, COJ to discuss potential manufacturing site.
• JTA executives are invited by international AV manufacturers to
• JTA’s Board Chair Ari Jolly travels to Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Hamburg, Germany to accept the Local Government award for the Americas, for the tactical Mayo Clinic operation. • Chair Jolly tours BENTELER’s HOLON mover manufacturing plant while in Germany.
participate in the unveiling of their Buy America compliant AV vehicle prototypes at the Consumer Electronics Showcase.
• JTA breaks ground on the Autonomous Innovation Center (AIC). • State and City approve economic development incentives for Project Link.
• JTA hosts International Association for Public Transport North America Forum (aka UITP). • JTA hosts its inaugural National AV Day at the Armsdale Test & Learn Facility. • CEO Ford and JAXUSA CEO Aundra Wallace visit Germany to meet AV manufacturing companies regarding locating a facility in the U.S.
• Balfour Beatty Vision 2 Reality wins JTA contract to build the first phase of the U 2 C program on BSIC.
• JTA tests AV service in the Brooklyn neighborhood.
• On June 30, NAVI service launches in Downtown Jacksonville.
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