2023 40 Under 40: AJ Farris, MUP

One word to describe yourself: Empathetic

Alma Mater: The University of Kansas

Fast fact about yourself: I try to read at least 20 books a year. My favorite genres are fFantasy and science fiction.

Best experience on transit: Every year for my daughter’s birthday, we take Kansas City’s Main Max bus to an interactive science learning center downtown. She loves it. The operators go out of their way to tell her happy birthday and how beautiful she is. I know it means the world to her. It means the world to me, too.

AJ Farris, MUP, began his career as a multi-modal planner with Olsson, where he worked to advance mobility solutions for cities throughout the Midwest. His design work and facilitation of public meetings led to the first multi-modal corridor in Kansas City, Mo., that connects historic neighborhoods, multi-family housing, and medical campus with the urban core of Kansas City through safe active transportation.

After three years at Olsson, Farris was recruited to join the planning team at Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) as an entry level planner, where he continued to develop his passion for creating mobility solutions to provide access to all potential users. Farris worked alongside the regional MPO to administer and manage several Planning for Sustainable Places projects that included community plans to create multi-modal streetscapes and mobility hubs, including the creation of the Kansas City Regional Wayfinding Guidebook that developed a regional wayfinding system for residents and visitors of the Kansas City metropolitan area.

After two years of project management and service planning experience, AJ Farris was promoted to senior planner, where he continued to grow in leadership and expertise. Farris identified a gap in the way that operators were engaged regarding service changes. He took it upon himself to create OPSTalks, a quarterly engagement event that gives operators the chance to speak directly to the planning and scheduling teams. Since the creation of OPSTalks, many adjustments have been made to the operations of the system that have increased operator safety, passenger safety and overall system efficiency.

 At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Farris was asked to step into a leadership role as interim planning and scheduling manager. He was officially given the role after six months of excelling in the position. During this time, he assisted and managed the implementation of KCATA’s zero fare system, fixed route service restorations, public engagement focused on ridership growth and route re-designs to bring service to underserved communities. His work contributed significantly to the KCATA winning the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) “Outstanding Public Transportation System” Award in 2022.

For the past year, Farris has managed a department of five that has been contributing to the rebound and growth of ridership. The work of his department has re-invigorated community connections throughout the region. Farris has also stepped into the role of project manager, where he has completed several key projects, including the East West Transit Study, a fast and frequent high-capacity solution that recommends a $600 million streetcar connection throughout the region. He has also served as the voice of regional transit on several of the local MPO’s committees, leading to significant transit investments.

In the five years France has been at the KCATA, he has made it his mission to ensure quality service to all riders within the region. He has worked with elected officials and staff, in both Kansas and Missouri, to ensure access to healthcare, education, jobs and housing. He has overseen the recovery of a service that was devastated by the pandemic, and Farris has assisted with implementing alternative transit solutions that integrate with the fixed-route system to better connect communities.

Farris’ work with transportation extends beyond the KCATA to improve the community through focused efforts. He has been a featured presenter at APTA and American Planning Association (APA) conferences. He has invested time with universities to review student resumes, conduct mock interviews and allow job shadowing. Farris is also a member of several professional organizations, including APTA and APA. Farris is working with other young professionals in the Kansas City area to start a new Young Professionals in Transportation chapter. He has also been featured on local podcasts, as well as publications talking about the importance of public transportation and its role in food security and healthcare.

Is there a specific experience that led you to where you are today?

First, I need to acknowledge my privilege and its role in where I am today. I grew up in a loving, stable, and safe home where all my needs were provided for. My parents were, and are, incredibly loving and supportive people who gave me a wonderful start to life. This privilege went unchecked until I attended college. Life outside my privileged bubble presented several challenges. This reality check led to me having to fund my own college studies and the first expense I had to cut was my personal vehicle. I chose to rely on the public transportation system for school and work. For a kid who grew up in the suburban midwest, this was a big leap. I found my passion for public transportation on those busses. I decided then I wanted to use the head start in life I had been given to do what I could to ensure access to such a vital service was available to as many people as possible.

 What do you enjoy most about your job?

My community! Kansas City, Mo., is filled with passionate people who have such a high capacity for love and friendship. Public engagement has always been one of my favorite parts of the planning process, as it allows opportunities to check your preconceived notions. We all know these public engagement events can get a bit… aggressive, but I’ve found active listening and feedback are the best tools for diffusing those situations. The people of the Kansas City rRegion are passionate people. That extends to their public transportation, and I’m honored that I’m a part of that. Solving problems for this community and seeing real life transportation solutions be implemented will always fill me with immense joy.

 What is the most challenging part of your job?

There can be many challenges to planning and operating a successful regional transportation system but sharing a consistent regional vision is the one I encounter the most. Our region is made up of many communities, both big and small. Municipal boundaries often provide barriers due to the way our specific agency is funded. Creating a regional vision for public transit and receiving buy in from cities, counties and states provides a significant challenge our agency is working hard to address. People trying to take a bus to work don’t care about city, state or county boundaries. They care about getting to where they need to go, safely and on time.

 What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?

This has to be one of them! While I’m honored to be a member of the 2023 Class of Mass Transit’s 40 Under 40, I’d say the accomplishment I am most proud of would be seeing my team at the KCATA grow. While there are several transportation plans and solutions that I have overseen at the KCATA, I’m extremely proud to see that the benefits of that work have shown the importance of a strong planning presence in an agency. This has given me the ability to grow the planning and scheduling departments to be able to take on more challenging problems. I have our leadership at the KCATA to thank for that. They have shown commitment to moving the KCATA forward, and they understand the role that my team plays in that. Most importantly, I’m proud of the individuals on my team, and I want them named for their dedication and hard work. Patrick Blankenship, Mira Felzien, Natasha Cooper, Sharise Robinson, and Bryce Shields… I’m so thankful to all of you, and I’m so proud of all the work we have done together.

What is the best advice or best practice to share?

Always put yourself in a place to talk to others and learn. Most of the time I do not have the answers to a problem that I am presented with. I think many would find themselves in that same boat. We are part of a community that, together, has access to more knowledge than anyone one of us has on our own. Make sure you know the people in all your departments. Their institutional knowledge is vast. Make sure you keep up with the engineers and planners that work for your regional consulting offices. Their experience in collaboration and consensus building is immense. Attend the transit advocacy happy hours and social events. Their worldwide knowledge of public transportation is astounding. Keep learning and keep your mind open.