The NAVI vehicles were custom-built by Beep to meet the JTA’s 200-plus non-negotiable requirements. The JTA also required the vehicles to undergo 81 tests and 35 scenarios before giving approval to put them in use on Bay Street. “The defining moment for me came during testing in Central Florida,” recalled Gillis, who oversaw the U 2 C development for the last two-and-a-half years. “It didn’t fully resonate until I was actually inside the vehicle, seeing its performance firsthand. All the planning, design, and regulatory work we’d put into this vision — it suddenly became real. Watching how the vehicle ‘thinks’ reinforced for me why this is a safer mobility solution than a human driver.” DAY ONE: NAVI HITS BAY STREET
JTA engineers mapped the NAVI route to the nth degree, ensuring a safe and predictable format along the 12 stations with seven-minute headways. Through September 30, 2025, customers and curious spectators were able to ride the system free of charge and give the JTA feedback about the experience. When fare collection began October 1, it was identical to the cost of riding other JTA services. Each NAVI vehicle is equipped with 10 cameras, seven radars, four lidar sensors, and multiple redundant satellite receivers that indicate where vehicles are located at any given time. That’s the equivalent of 10 sets of eyes that are constantly surveying the travel route, and more visibility than a human driver can physically have in a vehicle. NAVIs can identify or anticipate an incident before it occurs and brake three times faster than a human. The superior safety mechanisms will help save lives and reduce injuries, considering that 93% of fatalities on US roadways are caused by human error, distractions, or impairment. The vehicle boarding and departure stops were built with infrastructure that is the most lit, most monitored, and safest area of the city. Kiosks were installed at all stops with passenger information. For the first three months of service, JTA attendants and ambassadors were on board and outside the stops to answer questions and address customer concerns. The U 2 C program will help transform Jacksonville’s communities by making them more compact, walkable, and pedestrian-oriented with access to JTA’s multi-
40 | ULTIMATE URBAN CIRCULATOR – A CASE STUDY
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