Skyway will remain free another year

[JFman00]

Skyway will remain free for another year

Riding the Jacksonville Skyway will remain free until at least October 2013
In February, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority announced the Skyway would not charge a fare from February until the end of April because it didn’t want to inconvenience riders using the agency’s new STAR Card payment system, which enables riders to pay fares electronically.

But the number of people riding the Skyway skyrocketed when it became free, so the JTA board is keeping that way until the end of fiscal year 2013, at which point the issue will be re-examined.

Clinton Forbes, JTA director of mass transit, said ridership in the Skyway has increased by 61 percent from February to July of this year to the same time frame in 2011. During that period, there were about 296,000 passengers in 2011 and 481,000 passengers this year.

JTA expects to lose about $130,000 in revenue by not charging. But that will be offset because JTA won’t have to install a new STAR card fare system that would cost $200,000, Forbes said. Overall it loses about $4 million a year, with revenue from the local 6-cent gas tax being used to help cover the annual loss.

JTA Chairman Edward Burr said the loss of revenue could be offset by more people wanting to advertise on JTA cars and in the stations.

“Increased ridership leads to increased revenue,” Burr said. “People will pay more for ads when more people are using the system.”

Forbes also said JTA might be able to get more state and federal funds with more people riding the system.
Tony Allegretti, director of downtown engagement for the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, encouraged JTA to keep the Skyway free.

More people riding the Skyway makes downtown more attractive, he said, and that is useful in the effort to revitalize the downtown area.

People who live near the downtown are using it, he said, and people are also using it to go to businesses and restaurants during the week.

[tufsu1]

as noted in the article, the loss in fare revenue could be offset by increased grant money that is doled out based on ridership

[Ocklawaha]

Right on TUFSU1, there ARE other ways to fund this train. If they'd actually FINISH it, there might be some reason to reintroduce fare's, but probably not good ones.

Interestingly I was just reading about this while rolling across Western Kansas... "The Skyway will serve as a connector for a rail (implied) rapid transit system and the regional buses. Typically the bus drivers can issue a pass that is good for two hours, upon request..." More historic BS from Myrtle Avenue.

[civil42806]

nobody will use otherwise,

[jcjohnpaint]

When sitting in traffic in downtown today I saw the skyway car go by.  I just realized that the skyway is pretty much what a real BRT system would be.  It is kind of funny how the city was convinced of the importance of a fake BRT when we kind of had it all along. 

[Ralph W]

Since JTA won't utilize the spaces under the stations, maybe some of the food trucks could set up at each station and show them how it's done. All those new riders have to be hungry some time during the day. Food trucks could even start early selling bag lunches for those on their way into work - those who can't find the time to leave their cubicle for lunch or are tired of the PB&J made at home.

[fsujax]

^^this may be closer to reality than you think!