JTA Unveils Major Reorganization Plan
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/1919854982_j8CKTvM-M.jpg)
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-
QuoteJTA 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.
QuoteAs 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.
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!
Man do I love it when someone comes in, shakes things up a little, and hits the ground running.
Quote from: cline on January 31, 2013, 03:02:57 PM
QuoteJTA 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.
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.
^COJ Public Works takes care of city roads. FDOT maintains the State roads.
Quote from: mbwright on January 31, 2013, 08:45:47 PM
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?
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
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.
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?
And the rough part of Riverside Ave is an FDOT road, BTW.
So all the jobs are posted. Who is applying?
Can you post a link?
Quote from: thelakelander on February 01, 2013, 11:36:32 AM
Can you post a link?
https://jta.jtafla.com/SiteDirectory/hr/JOBS/default.aspx
Quote from: fsujax on February 01, 2013, 11:29:05 AM
So all the jobs are posted. Who is applying?
Why don't you apply, Ocklawaha?
You seem to be on top of things, and you can always answer any questions anyone has referring to JTA and mass transit in general.
Is there a list of who has been given a pink slip?
Quote from: urbaknight on February 01, 2013, 02:00:54 PM
Quote from: fsujax on February 01, 2013, 11:29:05 AM
So all the jobs are posted. Who is applying?
Why don't you apply, Ocklawaha?
You seem to be on top of things, and you can always answer any questions anyone has referring to JTA and mass transit in general.
Don't tempt him, urbankight. He dare not take a job with JTA, not even to keep it safe. Understand, urbankight, Ock would use this job from a desire to do good. But through him, it would wield a transportation system too great and terrible to imagine.
Did the reorganization include a new building? JTA headquarters on Myrtle. I'll check the Urban construction updates. Then again MJ is always on it and will pull up the story.
not that I am aware of...that said, some JTA staff work in trailers right now, so they coulduse more office space
^OK. But was and is the plan for a big move? We have the big conversation going on about the SOE and reuse of a city property or building new and should that same conversation have been occurring here? I realize that it's an Authority and not a constitutional office operation. Does any city council member know about this? How about our new DIA? Has this been reported anywhere on the local news. Just yielding to the Transportation experts on this forum and would be a little bit in shock if none of you guys knew about this.
I haven't heard anything about a new office space for JTA since the transportation center fallout with Brown a year or so ago. If they need more space, I'm sure a vacant existing structure can be found.
Has anyone been to a JTA Board meeting lately? Well something is going on. New parking lot? if you haven't heard what's going on over there then that's not good.
^ why do you say that? do you know something the rest of us don't?
Per the article in the Daily Record - additional office and meeting space and parking.