JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., chief executive officer of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, told the JTA Board of Directors Friday that he will resign effective Jan. 8, 2027, concluding more than 13 years with the agency.
Ford, a nationally recognized transportation leader, said he plans to continue working on innovative mobility solutions but did not announce specific plans.
Recommended Videos
“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.”
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 meeting.
Mayor Donna Deegan praised Ford’s tenure, saying his leadership helped make the authority a model for innovation and a catalyst for economic growth. “Nat has been a dedicated partner to the City of Jacksonville, and his vision and collaborative spirit helped move our community forward in meaningful ways,” she said.
Under Ford’s leadership, the JTA said, the agency reached several milestones that helped raise Jacksonville’s national profile in public transportation, including:
- developing the First Coast Flyer bus rapid transit system, the largest BRT network in the southeastern United States;
- constructing the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center, an award-winning multimodal mobility hub;
- winning more than $400 million in federal discretionary grants and supporting a local option gas tax extension that generated $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, 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, the nation’s first deployment of an autonomous vehicle service in public transit; and
- attracting HOLON’s first U.S. autonomous vehicle manufacturing facility, a $200 million investment projected to generate $87 million annually for Florida’s economy.
Wallace thanked Ford and JTA staff for advancing 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,” she said.
Ford has served nationally as chairman of the American Public Transportation Association and chairman of the Transportation Research Board. His national honors include 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 JTA through January 2027 to support a seamless transition and assist the board in preparing for the next CEO.