Ted Harris has been appointed as the chief operations officer of the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA).
Harris, who began working as COO Aug. 25, will provide oversight of key operations including fixed-route bus, trolley and MATAplus services as well as the maintenance, security and facilities departments.
With nearly 40 years of transportation experience, including more than 25 years of experience in the public transportation sector, Harris recently served as chief customer experience officer at the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority in Tampa, Fla. During his time there, Harris helped implement initiatives to foster customer service while overseeing the agency’s fixed route, paratransit, maintenance and safety and security departments.
“Ted brings a wealth of public transportation experience that will benefit our organization as we continue to focus our energies on improving the level of service delivered to all of our customers throughout our community,” said MATA CEO Gary Rosenfeld.
Harris also served previously as vice president of operations for MV Transportation in Fairfax County, Va.; as strategic operations, health and safety manager for King County Metro in Seattle, Wash.; and in numerous positions for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Washington, D.C.
“With plans to implement a next generation fare collection system, a new transit vision that will create a data-driven future bus transit network aimed at helping improve bus service, a new bus rapid transit line and additional customer-focused initiatives, this is an exciting period of growth at MATA,” Harris said.
A graduate of the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Harris holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban and Regional Planning. He is also a graduate of Leadership APTA, which is a senior and executive leadership program offered by the American Public Transportation Association.
