Florida’s Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) marked a historic milestone with the launch of NAVI — the Neighborhood Autonomous Vehicle Innovation initiative — the first autonomous vehicle (AV) service in the U.S. operating as part of a public transit system. 

The groundbreaking service begins revenue operations on June 30, along the 3.5-mile Bay Street Innovation Corridor in Downtown Jacksonville.

Passenger-Centric and Data-Driven

Running weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., NAVI is designed to seamlessly connect residents, businesses, and visitors across a vital urban corridor stretching from Pearl Street to EverBank Stadium. 

The corridor links Jacksonville’s residential neighborhoods with its central business district and Sports & Entertainment District, enhancing access to key destinations such as the Florida Theatre, Jacksonville Naval Museum, Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts, and more than 35 local restaurants.

“This launch marks a defining moment for transit in America,” said JTA CEO Nat Ford. “We’re the first in the nation to fully deploy a public transportation service using autonomous vehicles in revenue operation. NAVI represents a new chapter in mobility: inclusive, efficient, and community-building.”

To ensure continuous improvement, the JTA is encouraging riders to complete short surveys following their trips. This passenger feedback will help shape ongoing service adjustments as the AV program evolves.

NAVI is fare-free through Sept. 30, lowering barriers to adoption and maximizing opportunities for public input.

A Scalable, Future-Ready Fleet

Initially, NAVI will use 14 custom electric Ford e-Transit vans, outfitted with Oxa’s automated driving system (ADS) and meeting Buy America and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Each vehicle seats up to nine passengers and includes ADA accessibility features.

Plans include the integration of the HOLON autonomous shuttle, with deployments anticipated as early as 2027. 

HOLON is establishing a production facility in Jacksonville, which is expected to stimulate local economic growth and reinforce the city’s role in the national AV ecosystem.

The NAVI service is the first phase of JTA’s Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C) program. Over the next decade, the second and third phases will convert the city’s aging Skyway infrastructure into an elevated AV-exclusive corridor. 

Once complete, the network will link the urban core with key destinations in the Springfield, Brooklyn, Riverside, and San Marco neighborhoods, according to JTA officials, bridging gaps in healthcare, education, employment, and housing access.

The NAVI program was developed in collaboration with the Balfour Beatty Vision 2 Reality (V2R) team, which includes Beep, Superior Construction Company Southeast, WGI, Inc., Urban SDK, Miller Electric, and Grayline.

“With the NAVI launch, Jacksonville is leading by example,” said Beep CEO Joe Moye. “As autonomous vehicle regulations and technologies continue to evolve, this model can serve as a scalable solution for communities across the country.”