Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. informed the board that he will resign from his position effective January 8, 2027, concluding more than 13 years of service to Northeast Florida.

Ford, a nationally recognized transportation thought leader, plans to continue his work advancing innovative mobility solutions to improve the quality of life in communities across the nation. He did not announce specific plans.

“The JTA is operationally strong and well-positioned for the future,” Ford said. “I have full confidence in the leadership team’s ability to continue advancing our mission. It has been the greatest professional honor of my career to serve this organization, this city, and this region.”

Ford’s Legacy

The JTA board’s next scheduled meeting is July 29. Board Chair Aundra Wallace said the board plans to discuss next steps for the CEO position at that time.

Under Ford’s leadership, the JTA achieved historic milestones that positioned Jacksonville as a national model for innovation in public transportation, including:

• Developing the First Coast Flyer Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, the largest BRT network in the Southeastern US.
• Constructing the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center, the region’s award-winning multimodal mobility hub.
• Winning more than $400 million in federal discretionary grants and supporting the passage of a local option gas tax extension, generating $1 billion for regional infrastructure.
• Completing JTAMobilityWorks, a 27-project road-building and complete streets initiative, two years ahead of schedule.
• Implementing the Route Optimization Initiative (ROI), the first complete redesign of JTA’s transit system in 34 years.
• Expanding JTA’s regional footprint across Baker, St. Johns, Clay, and Nassau counties, including restoration of the St. Johns River Ferry.
• Launching the Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C), the nation’s first deployment of an autonomous vehicle service in public transit.
• Attracting HOLON’s first U.S. autonomous vehicle manufacturing facility, a $200 million investment projected to generate $87 million annually for Florida’s economy.

Continuing Impact in Florida and Beyond

Wallace thanked Ford and the agency for advancing the JTA and creating mobility solutions for Northeast Florida.

“Under the leadership of Nat, JTA has built a national reputation for innovating, particularly in the autonomous vehicle space; at the same time, the JTA team remains true to the core of what we do best — providing safe, reliable, and affordable public transportation to our community,” Wallace said.

Ford also served the transportation industry at the national level, including roles as chairman of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and chairman of the Transportation Research Board. His national recognition includes White House Champion of Change, APTA Outstanding Public Transportation Manager of the Year, and the Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award.

Ford will remain fully engaged with the authority through January 2027 to support a seamless transition and assist the board in preparing for the next CEO.