CLAY COUNTY – The Jacksonville Transportation Authority and the county have reached an agreement to pay $1.5 million for the next fiscal year.
The county will pay JTA and Aging True to operate …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account and connect your subscription to it by clicking here.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active, online-only subscription then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continueDon't have an ID?Print subscribersIf you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one. Non-subscribersClick here to see your options for subscribing. Single day passYou also have the option of purchasing 24 hours of access, for $1.00. Click here to purchase a single day pass. |
CLAY COUNTY – The Jacksonville Transportation Authority and the county have reached an agreement to pay $1.5 million for the next fiscal year.
The county will pay JTA and Aging True to operate its transportation and senior centers, according to county auditor Mike Price. He said the county paid about $741,000 to the Clay County Council on Aging to operate transportation and senior centers last year.
Price said door-to-door bus service was the expectation the community had grown accustomed to. The Council on Aging was losing between $150,000-$250,000 a year. Price said it owed more than $200,000 in fuel when it shuttered. Aging True was picked to run Clay senior centers by regional senior care agency ElderSource. JTA began service in the county Jan. 1.
The Transportation Disadvantaged services covers trips for people with disabilities, low income and health care-related trips.TD services didn’t experience a lapse in service after the takeover. The services are paid for by the state with the county giving a 10% match. However, as the number of trips decreases, the Transportation Disadvantaged funding decreases.
JTA has restored some regular service with the Red and Blue lines in March, and Magenta line last month.
Price said a solution was a regional transportation provider with taxing authority. Price and commissioners acknowledged that public transportation is usually heavily subsidized.
The county’s final budget hearing is Sept. 24. County commissioners told county manager Howard Wanamaker to negotiate with Aging True.