The Jacksonville Transportation Authority reached a compromise with disability advocates on fare increases for its Connexion Plus service.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Talks between the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and representatives of the disabled community hashed out a compromise that will increase the fare for the Connexion Plus service but by a smaller amount than originally proposed.
The higher fare will impact people most if they travel more than 12 miles on Connexion Plus, the JTA service that resembles Uber and Lyft by giving on-demand, door-to-door transportation to people with disabilities.
About 75% of customers using Connexion Plus take trips less than 12 miles, according to JTA.
“With the Connexion Plus service, it was important to me and to this leadership team that we found a mutually agreeable solution,” JTA CEO Nat Ford told the board at its Feb. 26 meeting.
Russ Davis, chair of the Jacksonville Transportation Advisory Committee that advises JTA on transportation for people with disabilities, said the compromise is what’s “needed for the moment” but he hopes JTA will find a way to lower the fares in the future.
“I’m surprised at how many working Jacksonvillians I talk to that live 13, 14, 15 miles from their jobs,” he said. “But it’s a big county.”
The new fares will start on April 2. JTA had been set to do a fare increase for Connexion Plus starting Feb. 1, but the board postponed it after people with disabilities turned out in public meetings to talk about how much they rely on Connexion Plus to get them on time to work, school, the doctor and other destinations.
The fare currently is $6 for the first 15 miles and then $2 for each additional mile. The new fare approved by the JTA board will be $10 for the first 12 miles and then $2.50 for each additional mile.
JTA previously had proposed a fare of $10 for the first 8 miles and $3.50 for each additional mile.
Connexion Plus is an enhanced version of the Connexion service that JTA operates in order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Connexion service cost a flat $2 regardless of the length of the trip but it requires riders to book trips at least a day in advance.
Connexion provides door-to-door service but because its vehicles carry multiple passengers and make stops along the way, the trips take longer than Connexion Plus rides that typically have just one passenger on board.
This article was originally published by the Florida Times-Union.