JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville bus riders are waking up to a new reality.
Several routes have been eliminated and dozens more have changed as the Jacksonville Transportation Authority rolls out major service cuts, all part of $39 million in cuts made to deal with a budget crisis.
What’s changing
Schedule changes are now in effect for more than 20 routes, including routes serving Kings Road, Atlantic Boulevard and Riverside, as well as the Orange Line and the Mayport Express.
Those changes affect weekday, Saturday and Sunday service depending on the route.
Several routes have also had route changes, meaning the bus now travels to different stops.
And one new route has been added: Route 34.
Routes eliminated
Four routes have been eliminated entirely:
Route 18, which served Regency Square Mall, the Walmart on Monument Road and the Monument Post Office
Route 25
Route 32
Route 82
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How riders are feeling it
News4JAX spoke with riders at bus stops around the city, some on camera and some off.
Some tell us they weren’t aware of the changes.
Others said the cuts don’t affect them. But for many, the impact is significant.
“I been utilizing the bus all my life. And now being that they made the bus changes, it’s complicated. Now you can’t determine how you’re going to get to work on time by the way they changed its schedule. The buses used to run every 15-30 minutes and now it’s every hour or hour and 30 minutes,” said Charles Briley, a rider.
“I wish they could make some adjustments. But you know, that’s how it works.. when you cut, you cut,” said Jerome Brown, a rider.
Layoffs and budget cuts
JTA was forced to make big changes to its service and lay off nearly 200 employees to get back on track financially.
The JTA board approved a $139 million budget for the fiscal year down from $178 million the year before.
The Skyway shuts down early
There is more to the story. The Skyway, which was set to pause service Monday was shut down unexpectedly early Friday morning due to staffing shortages.
Riders arriving at the La Villa Skyway platform found the entrance fenced off. JTA app users received a notification citing unexpected operational circumstances.
What comes next
City Council is hosting a JTA meeting Monday to discuss the agency’s financial situation and the road ahead. News4JAX will attend the meeting and provide updates
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