History of Jacksonville Water Taxi in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 24, 2026

The Jacksonville Water Taxi, established in 1987, is a water taxi service operating in Jacksonville, Florida. It transports passengers across the St. Johns River, connecting the Northbank and Southbank areas of Downtown Jacksonville via stops along the Riverwalks. As of the fourth quarter of 2025, the water taxi system had a ridership of 413,600, averaging around 1,700 passengers per day.

1987: Establishment of Jacksonville Water Taxi

In 1987, the Jacksonville Water Taxi, also known as the Jacksonville River Taxi, was established as a water taxi service in Jacksonville, Florida, to ferry passengers across the St. Johns River between the Northbank and Southbank of Downtown Jacksonville.

1987: Start of Water Taxi Service

Water taxi service in Downtown Jacksonville started in 1987, coinciding with the opening of the Jacksonville Landing, a shopping and entertainment center on the riverfront.

2002: New Regulations Adopted

In 2002, the City of Jacksonville implemented new regulations for the Jacksonville Water Taxi, awarding a contract to a single operator to ensure a consistent route and schedule.

2014: Stoppage of Service

In 2014, the Jacksonville Water Taxi experienced a temporary service stoppage due to the City of Jacksonville's failure to renew the operator's contract and unsuccessful attempts to purchase and operate boats.

April 2015: New Contract with Lakeshore Marine

In April 2015, the City of Jacksonville negotiated a new contract with Lakeshore Marine to operate the Jacksonville Water Taxi service.

October 2015: Lakeshore Marine Operations

As of October 2015, Lakeshore Marine was operating four boats for the Jacksonville River Taxi, including two boats with a seating capacity of 100, one with 60 seats, and one with 50 seats.