Jacksonville’s self-driving shuttle program, known as NAVI, is under review by the Duval DOGE Committee as city leaders raise new questions.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville’s self-driving shuttle program, known as NAVI, is under review by the Duval DOGE committee as city leaders raise new questions about its cost, performance, and future expansion.
The Duval DOGE Committee, chaired by Councilman Ron Salem, is calling for answers from the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) about how many people are actually riding NAVI — and whether taxpayers are getting their money’s worth.
DOGE stands for Department of Government Efficiency.
“We’re asking JTA CEO Nat Ford to outline the plan for NAVI, what the ridership projections are, and what the growth potential looks like,” said Salem.
The autonomous vehicles began operating in June, offering rides up and down Bay Street and through the Sports Complex. Each shuttle currently includes an attendant for safety, but the long-term goal is for NAVI to be fully self-driving.
The route stops every seven minutes, and what started as a free service now costs $1.75 per trip.
Salem says ridership remains low, which he believes may be partly due to incomplete route development.
“It’s low, but my question to Mr. Ford will be: did you expect this, and when can you expect it to pick up?” he said. “Many of NAVI’s future stops, like the stadium and the UF campus, aren’t open yet.”
While some council members are pressing for more transparency, others are defending the project’s potential.
Councilman Matt Carlucci says building ridership takes time.
“I think it’s slow right now because not many people are aware that it’s out there,” Carlucci said. “Once people see that the technology is safe and efficient, they’ll start to see the value, but change doesn’t happen quickly.”
Salem said it’s still waiting for data from JTA before making any decisions about NAVI’s future. There’s no timeline yet for when that review will take place.