The Jacksonville Water Taxi, or Jacksonville River Taxi, is a
water taxi
A water taxi or a water bus is a watercraft used to provide public or private transport, usually, but not always, in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or o ...
service in
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
. Established in 1987, it ferries passengers across the
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River ( es, Río San Juan) is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant one for commercial and recreational use. At long, it flows north and winds through or borders twelve counties. The drop in eleva ...
Downtown Jacksonville
Downtown Jacksonville is the historic core and central business district (CBD) of Jacksonville, Florida USA. It comprises the earliest area of the city to be developed and is located in its geographic center along the narrowing point of the St. ...
. Stops are located along the Riverwalks. In , the system had a ridership of , or about per day as of .
History
Water taxi
A water taxi or a water bus is a watercraft used to provide public or private transport, usually, but not always, in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or o ...
service in Downtown Jacksonville began in 1987, with the opening of the
Jacksonville Landing
The Jacksonville Landing (informally The Landing) was a festival marketplace in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida, at the intersection of Independent Drive and Laura Street, along the Jacksonville Riverwalk.U.S. Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mul ...
safety regulations to start a water taxi business. This led to fierce competition during peak times and inconsistent service, with captains ignoring city regulations on routes and use of the stops to fight each other for customers. Eventually, the
Jacksonville City Council
The Jacksonville City Council is the legislative governing body of the city of Jacksonville, Florida. The council meets in its chambers at Jacksonville City Hall, 117 W. Duval St. Under Florida’s government transparency laws, all official co ...
Waterways Commission stepped in to demand improved service. Ultimately, in 2002, the City of Jacksonville adopted new regulations governing the Jacksonville Water Taxi, awarding a contract to a single operator who adheres to a consistent route and schedule.
The Jacksonville Water Taxi experienced a stoppage of service in 2014 when the City of Jacksonville failed to renew the operator's contract. The city's attempts to purchase and operate boats failed to come together. The city negotiated a new contract with Lakeshore Marine in April 2015.
Operation
In October 2015, Lakeshore Marine operated four boats, two seating 100, one seating 60 and one seating 50. The Jacksonville River Taxi currently operates on a circular route between four stops along the
Jacksonville Riverwalk
The Jacksonville Riverwalks are a network of multi-use trails and open space developments along both the north and south banks of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. The roughly Downtown Northbank portion travels alongside the Hyatt R ...
s: boats depart the
Jacksonville Landing
The Jacksonville Landing (informally The Landing) was a festival marketplace in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida, at the intersection of Independent Drive and Laura Street, along the Jacksonville Riverwalk.Northbank for three stops on Southbank. A fifth stop at Metropolitan Park Marina is open during events in the Stadium District.