The Jacksonville City Council and Jacksonville Transportation Authority are planning to meet in January to discuss bettering JTA’a paratransit service.
Councilmembers Sam Newby and Al Ferraro met with JTA representatives this week to plan next month’s meeting.
Newby is chair of the Duval County Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board and Ferraro chairs the council’s Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee. Both say they’ve received complaints about JTA’s paratransit service for the disabled.
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“Mostly about late arrivals,” Newby said.
The service is for disabled people who aren’t able to use JTA’s fixed routes. It requires an in-person assessment and interview before approval.
A JTA representative at the meeting said JTA owns the paratransit vehicles, but contracts with outside companies to drive them.
Newby said he hopes at next month’s meeting council can figure out some ways to help JTA with the service.
“Well just working together to create a better product and I have to commend JTA for willing to work with City Council to have a better product,” he said.
The meeting will be what’s called a lunch and learn.
“JTA periodically hosts lunch and learns with City Council on key initiatives,” JTA said in an emailed statement. “We look forward to providing Council Members with a detailed update of JTA’s paratransit services in January.”
Reporter Lindsey Kilbride can be reached at lkilbride@wjct.org, 904-358-6359 or on Twitter at @lindskilbride.
