Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Aug. 6, 2025 – The Jonesboro city council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday allowing Jonesboro Economical Transportation (JET) to expand its services on the A-State campus.
The service will run Monday through Friday, with limited Saturday service. A-State students, faculty and staff, as well as New York Institute of Technology students, will not pay for rides, provided they show a valid school ID.
JET director of transit Lee Wells previously told JRN the expansion would allow A-State students, faculty and staff “better connectivity and ease of travel” across town. He also said this expanded service would not affect services currently provided across the city.
READ MORE: Committee approves resolution to expand JET service on A-State campus
A-State student John Thompson spoke in support of the resolution. He said he was excited about the possibility of improved transportation on campus.
“My freshman year, I came to campus and I didn’t have transportation, I didn’t have a car. But I had a theatre class, and it was in the Fowler Center, and I had to walk there, whether rain, snow … or sunshine,” he said. “Just making this more accessible and convenient for students, it means that this city council cares a lot about our university and a lot about the students that come here to Jonesboro. So please, let this happen, because I would have loved to ride a JET trolley to my theatre class for free.”
The Fowler Center is about a 16 minute walk from Kays Hall, where Thompson lives.
The contract added that JET is planning to add a fifth route affecting A-State. It also plans to start adding rides to other sporting events, concerts, plays, art shows, etc., and add stops at the College of Agriculture, Jonesboro Municipal Airport and the Judd Hill Farmer’s Market.
It also said there are plans to create an on-campus Transfer Center, which A-State would be responsible for maintaining if it became a reality, Wells previously told JRN. JET currently has one Transfer Center, located at 713 S. Caraway Road.
No timeline has been provided on when this would start.
The resolution also includes the hiring of six new drivers: four full-time drivers and two full-time paratransit drivers to meet the increased demand from the A-State expansion, and general demand for paratransit service.
The resolution said the city’s JET budget will be amended by $259,000 for revenue to be received and for respective operational expenses and funding for the new drivers.
The contract lasts three years, with A-State paying the City of Jonesboro $518,281.92 annually. Services under it begin Aug. 16.