The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is out to tame the city’s sprawl by expanding its door-to-door ReadiRide service.
ReadiRide will be available in three new areas starting Monday, July 1. That means more riders will be able to request either door-to-door or door-to-transit stop service rather than being forced to walk a mile or more to catch a bus.
Perhaps its greatest strength is helping people with neighborhood trips.
“If you need to go to the grocery store, you would call and make a reservation with us. And then also say, hey, I’d like to make another reservation for say, 35 or 45 minutes later, so they can come and pick you up,” said JTA spokesman David Cawton.
The service is available to anyone who lives in the coverage area. There are no use restrictions, which sets it apart from JTA’s Connexion service for those with disabilities and from fixed-route options like buses and the Skyway.
See Also: JTA Rolls Out New Connexion Plus Ride Service For People With Disabilities
Cawton said JEA has seen tremendous growth from ReadiRide since expanding it last year.
JTA has contracted with Owl, Inc. to operate the fleet of door-to-door shuttles.
“One of our biggest challenges is helping customers connect to the first or last miles of their journeys,” said JTA CEO Nathaniel Ford Sr. in an email to WJCT News. “By extending the ReadiRide service to these neighborhoods, we’re meeting this challenge head-on.”
The ReadiRide service is being expanded into areas of Arlington, Mandarin and the Southside. Currently the service operates in designated zones within the Beaches, Highlands, Northside, Southeast and Southwest parts of town.
Maps Of New ReadiRide Zones That Begin On July 1
ReadiRide is covering areas that were previously served by Coastal Cab. Its agreement with JTA is expiring.
ReadiRide reservations can be made Monday – Saturday, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., by calling 904-679-4555. Customers are asked to call at least two hours in advance of their trips to book a reservation.
Single trips are $2 per passenger when picked up and dropped off at a non-JTA location. Customers seeking transport to a JTA bus stop, station or transit hub pay $0.50 per trip.
ReadiRide reservations can’t be made in the JTA app – at least not yet. “We’re always looking at ways to enhance customer service, and possibly that could be something in the future,” said Cawton.
Maps Of Existing ReadiRide Zones
More information about ReadiRide is available onJTA’s website.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
