The History
The Jackson Transit Authority has moved into it’s new facility located at 38 Eutah Street. This is on the Bemis bus route, across S. Highland from the Post Office ans next the the Criminal Justice Complex.
Public transportation service has played a major role in providing mobility for residents of the Jackson area for more than a century. In 1887, public transportation became available to residents though the use of mule drawn cars. From this modest beginning, the transit system grew into an active electric street car service which evolved in 1939 into the existing system of fixed-route bus service.
In 1897 the Jackson Power & Line Company changed the mule cars to electric street service within the City of Jackson, The major through streets used were Hays, Hatton, Highland and Hollywood.
Beginning in 1939 the Jackson Transportation Company, a company owned by stockholders, started buying gasoline powered buses as the public transit system replaced the street car. The 12 buses ran almost the same routes as the electric cars and ran 7 days a week for 16 hours each day.
In 1941 Local 1285 of the Amalgamated Transit Union was formed and the transit system became unionized and continues today. In 1952, the stockholders of the Jackson Transportation company wanted to get out of the transportation business and the Jackson City Line was formed.
Mr. Stanley McNulty, owner of the Jackson City Line, started running the transit system. Operation hours were changed with Mr. McNulty at the helm with no service on Sundays or Holidays.
On April 5, 1966, as with many privately owned systems, Jackson changed to a publicly owned system and the Jackson Transit Authority was chartered by the City of Jackson. Immediately after the start of the Jackson Transit Authority the gasoline buses were sold and diesel fueled buses were put into service.
In 1987 the Jackson Transit Authority changed from employee managed to contracted management services to a management company. The First Transit Company (previously known as ATE/Ryder) received the contract and is still contracting with JTA today.
In 1991 JTA started a demand-response, curb-to-curb, reservation, application, paratransit bus service in anticipation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which passed in 1992.
The service has been named “The Lift”. All riders of this service are unable to ride the regular fixed route service because of a disability.
In February of 2000 JTA was able to extend service hours until 10:30pm Monday through Saturday. This was made possible because of a successful Job Access and Reverse Commute grant application.
In April of 2002, JTA opened our new Transfer Center at 431 E. Main Street. This center is open during JTA operation hours and has many amenities for passengers.
In 2006 bus fare was increased to the current fare of $1.00 per ride with free transfers.
Today the Jackson Transit Authority has 13 fixed route buses and 7 paratransit buses in service. JTA’s
contingency fleet is made up of 1 fixed route bus. All of JTA’s vehicles are lift equipped in accordance with ADA.
JTA has changed the bus routes many times in the past years to keep up with the fast growth of Jackson, without increasing operational hours. These changes have been made because of surveys of current ridership trends, and staying involved and informed of future trip generators popping up around Jackson