JTA Vice President of Planning Recognized by FTA

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s (JTA) Brad Thoburn has been recognized by the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) as a RisingSTAR. The award is given to an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to transit in the first five years of their transit career. He received the award during FTA’s 2015 Southeastern Regional Transit Conference, May 13-15 in Atlanta.

Thoburn is the JTA’s vice president of long range planning and system development. He oversees planning, engineering, construction and project development for the authority. Thoburn’s team developed the route optimization initiative (ROI) plan that completely overhauled JTA’s fixed bus route and community shuttle services. Without increasing annual operating costs, the ROI plan increased route frequency and directness, increased service in evenings and weekends, and better coordinated routes. Despite expectations of initial ridership decline typical of a major service change, ridership over the first five months is up 7.2 percent compared to the same period in the previous year.

“It was an exciting moment when I heard the news and I am elated that Brad received this much deserved recognition,” said JTA CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. “He is an integral part of the executive team and is also leading our efforts to implement the First Coast Flyer Bus Rapid Transit program and JTAMobilityWorks.”

The award was given out by Dr. Yvette Taylor, the FTA’s Region IV Administrator during the Southeast Transit Achievements and Recognition (STAR) awards luncheon. The event celebrated the public transportation industry and showcased the outstanding successes demonstrated throughout Region IV which covers Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.

“I am honored that FTA recognized me with this prestigious award,” said Thoburn. “However, this award belongs not only to me, but the entire JTA team that successfully implemented ROI.”

Several transit agencies from across the country have visited JTA to learn more about the best practices and lessons learned from ROI. Members of the JTA leadership team have been invited to present at various conferences, most recently at the America Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Bus and Paratransit Conference in Fort Worth, Texas in May.