JTA and FSCJ Launch AV on Downtown Campus

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) and Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) have launched autonomous vehicles (AVs) on FSCJ’s downtown campus, becoming the first college campus in Florida to receive AVs.

“Our partnership with FSCJ and our industry partners Beep and Oxa goes beyond merely deploying autonomous vehicles on campus—it marks a significant stride towards enhancing mobility in Jacksonville, making it more efficient and safer,” said JTA CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. “This initiative is a testament to years of hard work and collaboration between the private and public sector, including the U.S. Department of Transportation. We are eager for the FSCJ campus and the wider Jacksonville community to experience these AVs firsthand to see the benefits these vehicles bring as we prepare for the launch of Phase 1 of the U2C program, the Bay Street Innovation Corridor, in 2025.”

The shuttles are operated by Beep and incorporate self-driving software from Oxa. They will connect students, faculty, and visitors across the segmented FSCJ Downtown Jacksonville campus on a one-mile route that connects the Advanced Technology Center with Buildings A, B, C, and D.

“The project at FSCJ—Beep’s third university campus deployment—marks the beginning of our collective efforts with our partners in the JTA U2C project to transform mobility and accessibility while improving roadway safety and reducing carbon emissions in the City of Jacksonville,” said Beep CEO Joe Moye. “Community feedback and practical experience from these pilots is vital for the safe advancement of autonomous technology, which deepens our industry’s understanding of what is required to improve the development and deployment of these technologies to change how people move and connect to key services within our communities.”

The first phase of the U2C program will implement a full-scale autonomous shuttle network with connected technology down Bay Street in 2025. The entire U2C program comprises three main phases. Each will incrementally build the 10-mile transportation network connecting key downtown Jacksonville corridors, including the Sports/Entertainment District, the Downtown Northbank, and Southbank, with branches into surrounding neighborhoods such as Brooklyn, Riverside, San Marco, and Springfield.