AirJTA Express Service The Soul and Spirt of a Dead Bus?

gatorback · October 18, 2007, 01:03:17 PM

JTA services JIA via AirJTA bus(see link below). As many of you know I'm a huge fan of AirJTA and tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 19 I will be riding the 620 bus to town as the final leg of my travel home from Austin. It's been months since I last blogged on AirJTA so let's see what's going on these days with the service. I'll take be pictures, interviewing passengers, maybe even shoot video. Let's see if AirJTA is really a valid service, or if it's truely the Ghost Bus we read so much about.

Go JTA! We're on your side.

http://ridejta.org/services/airjta.aspx

I-10east · October 18, 2007, 09:31:36 PM

I'll be looking forward to reading your work Gatorback. I wonder how many peeps know that this bus also has a stop at the River City Marketplace; Judging by just the bus name, many people probably think that NS-33 just go to the airport and that's it.

gatorback · October 18, 2007, 10:21:52 PM

I'll contrast the Austin flyer just for giggles both service the airport from downtown.

Ocklawaha · October 18, 2007, 11:37:32 PM

Sounds like some fun Gatorback. Let me know when you get in.

Ocklawaha

gatorback · October 20, 2007, 01:54:25 PM

hey you guys... I made it back for a visit w/family and friends. You guys wont (or rather sorry to say you will) believe the pictures i got along the way.

Ocklawaha · October 21, 2007, 09:59:11 PM

Well for sure you didn't ride into town on the rail system. Though thought has been given to buying an old box car and placing folding chairs inside. I could then pay to have it shuttled back and forth between the Gateway Mall and the Airport Cutoff. JACKSONVILLE RAIL! Oh well? When are you going to post the photos?

Ocklawaha

gatorback · October 24, 2007, 10:14:26 PM

This of course is Austin notice the electric car in the background.

gatorback · October 24, 2007, 10:46:03 PM

Jax

Jason · October 25, 2007, 09:34:02 AM

do your posts include pics? If so I can't see them.

Jason · October 25, 2007, 11:40:48 AM

Hmmm, I gues its me then. Maybe I have a filter blocking them for some reason.

Oh, well. I'll figure it out.

thelakelander · October 30, 2007, 01:27:20 PM

I see them.

Steve · October 30, 2007, 02:11:12 PM

I see them too.

Jason · October 30, 2007, 04:28:47 PM

I still can't figure it out. Are there some settings I'm not aware of?

gatorback · November 01, 2007, 11:57:33 AM

Sorry Jason, I'm not sure. The trip home to attend the funeral was truly uneventful thank god. I will note several things about the comparison. First and foremost the price. .50 cents verses $1.50. Note that there are so many more people on Capital Metro. I had to laugh at the attitude between the transit operators. (Am I the only one who feels the JTA operators have a â€œWe donâ€™t serve you attitude?â€ That truly must come from the top down. The Capital Metro drivers go out of their way for the most part to help the ridersâ€"they know that their success depends on the rider ship.

I noticed both buses were on time within the minute albeit the Jacksonville bus was ready to pull-out and go before I had a chance to seat myself. In contrast, the Cap Metro driver greeted me with a smile and made a funny as she waited for me to get comfortable in the seat. (Okay, the Cap Metro driver did haul ass but I as glad and ready to get home on the return trip.)

I had to take 3 busses to get back to the office. The $1.00 day pass worked out for me. I got door to door service something Jacksonville didnâ€™t offer. Had JTA offered transfers I would have been able to get where I was going for the $1.50.

In conclusion Capital Metro got me where I wanted to go at a price I was willing to pay and with a smile. Sorry JTA, I give you a B- and being very generous. I donâ€™t suspect anybody would miss the Ghost bus as I was practically the only rider that day.