Go Tuk’n, Inc., JTA to offer pay-to-ride shuttle service in downtown Jacksonville, Riverside, Avondale

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) has partnered with Go Tuk’n, Inc.™, to offer pay-to-ride shuttle service in downtown Jacksonville, Riverside and Avondale neighborhoods beginning July 13.

The new Tuk’n Ride™ program will provide stop-to-stop paid shuttle service using the company’s Tuk Tuks and new Tuk’n Bus, offering a quick and convenient way for Jacksonville residents and visitors to visit neighborhood businesses and restaurants without worrying about parking.

Rides start at $2 per trip.

Thanks to a partnership with the JTA, riders will be able to reserve and pay for the services through a new mobile app called Tuk’n Ride, available in iOS and Android. In addition, Tuk’n Ride will utilize JTA bus stops as well as others, and offer transportation for larger groups and wheelchair users with a 14-passenger Tuk’n Bus™.

Stephanie Dale, Chief Tuk’n Officer of Go Tuk’n, Inc., said, “This is the next step in the evolution of our business plan, and we are so excited to see it come to life. We are passionate about supporting the urban core areas of Jacksonville and believe the Tuk’n Ride program will be one way to help our community grow and thrive. Supporting area restaurants and other businesses is a starting point and we expect to expand services to other neighborhoods in the near future.”

“Introducing microtransit options like Tuk’n Ride to LaVilla, Brooklyn, Riverside and downtown Jacksonville will be critical as these neighborhoods continue to flourish,” said JTA CEO Nathaniel P. Ford, Sr. “Not only does this partnership benefit our customers, it furthers our commitment to working with small, minority and women-owned businesses.”

Further specifics of the Tuk’n Ride program include:

• Tuk’n Ride service begins in the downtown Jacksonville and Riverside areas on July 13, and will be available Monday - Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There are more than 20 Tuk’n Ride stops available, which are outlined in the mobile app and on the service territory map.
• Service in Avondale begins on July 17, and will be available Fridays and Saturdays from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. With support from the Riverside Avondale Preservation and the Historic Avondale Merchants Association, participating area merchants will offer a discount for Tuk’n Ride shuttle users. To receive the discounts, riders will simply need to show the merchant their booked and paid ride on the app.
• The Tuk’n Ride app is available for download from the Google Play and Apple app stores. Customers who set up contactless payments in the app will receive a prompt for a referral code. Each person referred receives a 10-percent discount on their first ride and the referrer will receive a 10-percent discount on their next ride.
• In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, riders will be able to use the 14-passenger Tuk’n Bus, which includes a lift for those passengers in wheelchairs along with two specially-designated areas. The Tuk’n Ride mobile app indicates which stop-to-stop rides are with the Tuk’n Bus.
• All drivers complete thorough background screenings and must have a clean driving record. Due to the COVID-19 situation, drivers will wear face coverings and be responsible for enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures; hand sanitizer will be available on all Tuk’n Ride vehicles.

“At Go Tuk’n we strongly believe if we help other businesses grow and prosper in the community we love, it will help drive innovation, bring more tourism to the area, and create a vibrant, thriving urban core,” Dale said.