A three-month period for free Skyway rides will be extended until Sept. 30, the end of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s fiscal year, JTA Executive Director Michael Blaylock announced Thursday.
The original period was for 90 days starting at the end of January to accommodate the installation and transition to the new Star Card electronic payment system for the service.
Blaylock made the announcement during his executive director’s report at the JTA board of directors meeting.
Also from Thursday’s board meeting:
• Blaylock announced that Shannon Eller, JTA government and public affairs officer, was leaving the authority to take a position with Infinity Global Solutions LLC. She was hired at the authority in March 2011. Eller told the board she will be transitioning to her previous field as a land use and development attorney. Lindsey Ballas Kimball, a senior vice president, is leaving IGS to join the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. May 7.
• The board approved the purchase of 26 vehicles for the community shuttle service at a price of $3.3 million, 80 percent from federal funding and 20 percent by JTA.
• The board also authorized the approval to award five general engineering and architectural service contracts. Of the 10 companies interviewed, five will be awarded the contracts depending on future JTA needs.
• Included in each future mass transit report will be statistics on accidents and incidents. Scott McCaleb, the newest member of the JTA board of directors, asked for the information to be included.
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