Connexion Plus will roll into JTA’s existing Connexion service on February 1, 2026.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is discontinuing one of its door-to-door transportation programs servicing customers with disabilities.
More than a dozen community members attended the first of several JTA community meetings set up to inform customers of the upcoming changes to fares, routes and services. Some told First Coast News they were blindsided finding out one of its popular services, Connexion Plus, will be going away in February. The service provides private rides for customers with disabilities after prior approval by JTA.
Customers who use the service say it gives them a sense of independence.
“Connexion Plus allows us to do normal things like going to class, the grocery store or on a date with my girlfriend … We can’t drive because of our visual disabilities and we can’t walk, this isn’t New York City … This service makes [travel] more accessible,” said Scott Toro, who uses Connexion Plus.
“Connextion Plus gives us that ability to try to live a normal life even though we have visual disabilities,” said another rider, Aliyah Franqui. “I hope this change isn’t going to be as impactful as we think it will.”
Franqui is one of a handful of people who showed up to JTA’s community meeting Tuesday morning at the downtown campus of Florida State College of Jacksonville, who say they recently learned about the end of the service.
Connexion Plus is a same-day rideshare service offered by JTA, but run by a third-party company, UZURV. JTA already offers basic Connexion paratransit service, but passengers currently have to be scheduled at least a day in advance, share rides with other passengers and some customers complain the basic service is late.
Susanna Zekas said her son, Larson, has a brain injury and uses Connexion Plus to get to work because it’s more reliable.
“It’s affordable, probably about a third of the price of Uber or Lyft, and eliminates the huge wait times or the huge riding times that are present with Connexion buses that pick up along the route,” said Zekas. “If he doesn’t have a dependable ride, that falls back on families to provide transportation or him to lose his employment.”
JTA said the cost is the main reason for nixing the service.
“The cost is around $7 million annually, so it’s very costly. The average trip is somewhere between a $30-$40 cost to JTA and we charge $6, so as you can see, there’s a pretty big delta there,” said JTA CEO Nat Ford.
Ford said changes have been made to the basic Connexion service, including same-day requests and lowered fares, to provide some of the same benefits.
“Our plan over the next six months is to gather feedback and make adjustments,” said Ford.
For some customers, Connexion Plus is more than just a ride: it promotes independence for those with disabilities.
“My hope is that they will understand the significance and importance of this to the disability community. Not just for my son, but for the dozens and hundreds of others,” Zekas said.
Connexion Plus will roll into the existing Connexion program starting February 1, 2026. That is also when several fare cuts go into effect. Fixed Route bus fairs will go from $1.75 to $1.00, while Connexion Paratransit fares will go from $3.00 to $2.00.
JTA is continuing to hold public community meetings during the following dates:
Thursday, January 8, 2026
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Pablo Creek Public Library – Community Room A, 13295 Beach Boulevard
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Legends Center – Double Classroom, 5130 Soutel Drive
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Regency Square Public Library – Community Room B, 9900 Regency Square Boulevard
Thursday, January 15, 2026
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Regency Square Public Library – Community Room B, 9900 Regency Square Boulevard
Anyone interested is encouraged to attend. All meeting locations are ADA accessible, and anyone requiring special accommodations should contact Tsopie Trottie at 904-630-310.