JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville’s DOGE Committee met Tuesday to review three city programs as part of its ongoing effort to identify potential waste, inefficiency or abuse in local government.
City Councilmember Rory Diamond is calling for an end to one of them: the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s autonomous vehicle initiative, known as the Neighborhood Autonomous Vehicle Transit Service, or NAVI program.
“They want to spend over $400 million on this autonomous vehicle program now,” Diamond said during Tuesday’s meeting. “And I want to know: What is the budget? When will it come up? Is the technology tried and tested? Candidly, I think it’s a boondoggle and I want to end the whole thing.”
JTA’s NAVI program was among the first public autonomous vehicle transit systems in the country. The autonomous shuttles currently operate along a 3.5-mile route in Downtown Jacksonville, with 12 stops between Pearl Street and EverBank Stadium. The service launched in June and is budgeted at $65 million in operating costs, according to city officials.
However, councilmembers noted that the shuttles are currently averaging just 11 riders per hour, raising concerns about their cost-effectiveness. DOGE Committee members submitted a list of questions to JTA regarding the program’s future, and expect responses within two weeks.
In addition to the NAVI program, the committee also reviewed:
- JFRD’s PATH Program, which provides outreach and assistance to people experiencing homelessness. Since its launch, the program has served nearly 1,600 people, with more than 500 placed on a path to permanent housing.
- The city’s Opioid Grant Program, which manages $47 million in funding received from a national opioid lawsuit settlement. The money supports treatment, education and prevention efforts throughout Jacksonville.
The DOGE Committee is scheduled to meet again in two weeks to continue its oversight of city spending and program outcomes.