Palm Tran Operations Manager BJ Barrow Retires After more than 40 Years

Jan. 4, 2018
After nearly 42 years in Palm Beach County public transportation, including 29 years as Palm Tran Operations Manager, BJ Barrow retired in December.

After nearly 42 years in Palm Beach County public transportation, including 29 years as Palm Tran Operations Manager, BJ Barrow retired in December. When Barrow started her transit career, she was an 18-year-old high school graduate who needed a job. More than four decades later, Barrow reflects on her profession marked with a plethora of memories and accomplishments.

“I had no idea at 18 I would be telling this story today,” Barrow said.

As Palm Tran Operations Manager, Barrow’s efforts earned Palm Tran numerous awards including several first-place Unit Safety awards at the Florida Public Transportation Association's (FPTA) annual conference. 

“The contributions BJ has made to transit cannot be overlooked. She has been a valuable asset for Palm Tran, and her presence will be greatly missed,” Palm Tran Executive Director Clinton B. Forbes said.

When Barrow began her career in transit in March 1976, Palm Beach County’s transit agency was known as Co-Tran. A neighbor suggested Barrow apply as a data entry clerk at the county’s newest fare reduction program for senior citizens. Barrow applied and was offered the job. She spent the bulk of her day working with the 65 years and older population.

“It was actually a great experience because I met a lot of interesting people,” she said. “They gave me words of wisdom.”

Barrow transitioned in various roles before working as an administrative assistant to the operations manager and later an operations supervisor. It was then she discovered she had a passion for the operations side of transit. After more than a decade into her career, Barrow was offered the opportunity to become operations manager by former Palm Tran Executive Director Irving Cure. Barrow admits she was hesitant to take the role. However, Cure assured her she was the best person for the job. 

“He said: ‘I believe you are because you’ve had so much experience in all the different areas and you understand it, and you excel so well. I really wish you would take the opportunity,’” she remembered. “I said to him: ‘Can we write up a deal that in six months if I don’t like it, I can go back to what I was doing?’ and he’s like: ‘I’ll do it, but you don’t need that.’”

Nearly 29 years later, Barrow proved Cure right. As Palm Tran operations manager, she continuously tackled challenging safety situations — including when a passenger threatened a bus operator.

“I coached (the passenger) off the bus… Once I got him off, I knew we were okay.”

Furthermore, Barrow accomplished overseeing the expansion of Co-Tran to what is Palm Tran today.

“For 18 months, I did not take a vacation.  I worked six days a week, 12 hours a day to redesign the routes.  We had to redesign everything,” she said.

Despite her achievements, Barrow admits one of the biggest challenges she faced was being a woman in a man’s world back when it was far from conventional.

“Getting the respect I deserve for the position I held was very difficult especially in the early years.  We’re talking about the 80s and the 90s; I had to stand my ground many times,” she said.  “But I was determined I was going to stay, and I was determined I was going to do just as good of a job or better.”

 “In her 40 years of experience at Palm Tran, BJ has seen and done it all,” Special Projects Coordinator Terrie James said.  “She has always been willing to roll up her sleeves to get the job done, providing an excellent example of what a leader should be.  Her career is a model of the success that comes from hard work and dedication, and she should be celebrated as a transit professional, representing the best of Palm Beach County.”

“Palm Tran surely misses BJ Barrow’s experience and institutional knowledge, however, we wish her the best in the next stage of her life,” Director of Operations Sean Smith said.     

When asked, Barrow said she would like to be remembered as the manager who cared for others.  She always left the door open for employees who needed someone to turn to.  

“I want to be remembered as the one who was fair.  I want to be remembered as the one who cared.  I want to be remembered for being the one they could come to if they needed help and I would do my best to help them,” Barrow said.

The community and family built at Palm Tran is one Barrow will never forget.  As she reflected on the potlucks, the retirement parties and the employees who have come and gone, she is left with gratitude and appreciation.

“Lots of good people, lots of good moments, lots of laughter amongst each other.  I have to say I have zero regrets.  Zero regrets of what I’ve chosen as my career, and where I’ve been and what I’ve done,” she concluded.

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Nov. 6, 2013