JTA Unveils Major Reorganization Plan

[Metro Jacksonville]

JTA Unveils Major Reorganization Plan



The Jacksonville Transportation Authority's (JTA) new CEO, Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr. announces a major reorganization of the agency is in the works.  What does this mean for Jacksonville?



Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-jan-jta-unveils-major-reorganization-plan-

[cline]

JTA Chairman Ed Burr said, “JTA has a strong, proud history of getting out in front of our transportation needs.

I'll assume Burr was being sarcastic or just joking with this comment.

[Charles Hunter]

As part of the restructuring, the new V.P. positions will be advertised both locally and nationally. JTA will begin interviewing for the posts in February

So the incumbents have to compete for the new jobs?  Good idea.

[urbaknight]

Don't search locally for any open positions, go national. Most locals can't or simply have no interest in mass transit.

Stop patting yourselves on the back for a proud JTA history and track record, it doesn't really exist. JTA has sucked for a long time.

Get out of the road building game, we already have the FDOT. Let them build the damn roads. Put all of your focus on "mass transit" only.

Become a city agency, not authority. Authority sounds too power hungry. I say a city agency because the state of Florida in general is dead weight. So just break from state control please.

As far as "safe", "reliable" and "efficient" give me a break!

[CityLife]

Man do I love it when someone comes in, shakes things up a little, and hits the ground running.

[Ocklawaha]

JTA Chairman Ed Burr said, “JTA has a strong, proud history of getting out in front of our transportation needs.

I'll assume Burr was being sarcastic or just joking with this comment.

Perhaps Burr was referring to 'JTA the road builder?'  As a road building 'authority' JTA has piled enough asphalt and concrete in Jacksonville to rank us a solid number 7 in cities with the most lane miles (.745) per capita. Some of the highways are pretty cutting edge which in turn has damaged our mass transit systems effectiveness.  The problem I see is when you have  a patchwork of excellent roadways, connected by deficient collector/distributer roads, it becomes quite hard to project where choice riders might use the system. Someone with a small car might not think twice about the auto trip from St. Nicholas to Stockton Street, but St. Nicholas to the corner of Old Kings and St. Augustine Road might be better on the bus.

Connecting the Rosa Parks, JRTC and Kings Avenue Stations with non-stop BRT buses while the Skyway, streetcars and downtown shuttle buses provide the point of deliver downtown would be a great start.

[mbwright]

We may have cutting edge roads in some places, but still many dirt roads, which were specifically excluded from the BJP.  meanwhile, perfectly good roads that had low traffic counts (such as Arlingwood neighborhood) were resurfaced.

Riverside Ave, and many others are still a mess.  Need a way to prioritize their work.  If FDOT will work on city roads, I'd be surprised.

I do agree that JTA should be a Transit agency, not a road builder.  something about a conflict of interest here.

[thelakelander]

^COJ Public Works takes care of city roads.  FDOT maintains the State roads.

[Ocklawaha]

I do agree that JTA should be a Transit agency, not a road builder.  something about a conflict of interest here.

I have to chuckle every time I hear these guys pat themselves on the back, 'We are one of only 6 transportation authorities in the nation that operates a mass transit system and builds highways....'

Just turn that around? There are thousands of transit agencies for cities, towns and counties across the United States, with so much expertise why is it that only 6 cities swim upstream?

[tufsu1]

don't think for one minute that part of what attracted Mr. Ford to the job wasn't the opportunity to do transit AND roads

[Ocklawaha]

Yeah, maybe TUFSU1, we talked over breakfast a few days ago and I didn't get that 'road builder' vibe from him at all. He seems very dedicated to mass transit and perhaps even turning Jacksonville back into the 'San Francisco' it once was.

[thelakelander]

Could it be possible that even as a pro mass transit guy, he could see value and potential in utilizing JTA's set up as a tool for additional multimodal funding opportunities and strategies?

[Dog Walker]

And the rough part of Riverside Ave is an FDOT road, BTW.

[fsujax]

So all the jobs are posted. Who is applying?

[thelakelander]

Can you post a link?