top of page

Our Story

Where Transportation Engineering Meets Human Behavior.

Founded in 2012 as a startup emerging from research at the University of Arizona, Metropia is a transportation technology and consulting firm built on a simple idea: to make cities flow, you have to understand both the physics of traffic and the psychology of human behavior.


Our roots are deeply academic. Because we transitioned out of the research lab and straight into the field, we look past abstract traffic numbers to see the real people and communities beneath them. We came together to solve a massive, real-world challenge—helping public agencies and corporate employers navigate changing workplace routines, ease daily commute anxiety, and keep busy travel corridors moving smoothly.

Our Philosophy

For decades, transportation engineering and transportation demand management have evolved as separate disciplines. Transportation engineers have traditionally focused on expanding capacity and optimizing traffic operations to accommodate travel demand, while TDM practitioners have worked to influence travel behavior through outreach, education, and incentives. Both have advanced mobility in meaningful ways—but largely in parallel rather than as an integrated system.

We believe the future of mobility lies in bringing these disciplines together. Engineering should recognize behavior change as part of the transportation solution, while behavior-change strategies should be grounded in the realities of transportation systems and infrastructure. Today's advances in mobile computing, real-time data, connected technologies, and AI finally make this integration possible. By combining our deep expertise in traffic engineering with behavioral science, we build intelligent mobility technologies that translate complex transportation systems into personalized, real-time guidance—helping travelers make better decisions while enabling agencies and employers to improve safety, efficiency, sustainability, and the overall travel experience. From our university roots to more than a decade of field-tested impact worldwide, our mission has remained the same: transforming complex transportation systems into practical, human-centered solutions that improve mobility for everyone.

“We will never solve our greatest transportation challenges by looking at infrastructure or commuters in isolation. Our mission has always been about integrating technology networks and human nature as a whole to turn complex systems into accessible solutions. By designing tools that respect both traffic physics and personal choices, we give dedicated teams the capability to support their communities with confidence. Thank you for moving the world with us." 

— Dr. Yi-Chang Chiu, Founder & CEO

OUR VISION

OUR MISSION

Make cities better places to live and work.

Deliver transportation technology solutions that connect people and enable safe and reliable access to places and opportunities. 

Departments of Transportations, transit agencies, cities and businesses apply our technology tools to combat congestion, make transit payments and ticketing a seamless process and offer more accessible, sustainable and safer mobility options. 

Leadership Team

YC_2.png

A Professor of transportation system engineering, Yi-Chang is a renowned researcher and innovator in the area of intelligent transportation systems and behavioral economics-based active demand management.

Linkedin's logo
Yi-Chang Chiu, PhD

Founder and CEO

Victor_2.png

A distinguished transportation professional and former Deputy Secretary of the US-Department of Transportation, Victor advises Metropia in transportation policies and market strategies.

Linkedin's logo
Victor M. Mendez

Advisor

Vassilis_2.png

For more than 30 years, Vassilis has engaged in pioneering projects at the local, regional, and national level and leads Metropia’s vision of bridging ADM and TSMO strategies.

Linkedin's logo
Vassilis Papayannoulis, PhD

Vice President

Cynthia_2.png

Cynthia leads our Mobility Ecosystem team to spread Metropia’s vision to audiences around the world through world class marketing, communications and strategic partnerships.

Linkedin's logo
Cynthia McGrail

Vice President of Marketing

and Communications

Henry_3.png

Years of professional experience in system analysis, system integration, and technical solution
planning for enterprise-scale mobility and transportation software platforms.

Linkedin's logo
Henry Wang

Senior Computer Systems Analyst

Yamei_2.png

Since Metropia's inception, Yamei has served at the helm of the company's HR and finances.

Linkedin's logo
Yamei Chang

Director of Admin and Finance

Misty-White_2.png

With progressive leadership experience across multiple functions and industries, Misty brings a strong focus on building new programs and partnerships.

Linkedin's logo
Misty White

Director of Mobility Partnerships

Zenia_1.png

An experienced transportation professional with a background in government, private sectors, and academia, bringing valuable expertise to deliver Metropia's vision and technologies in Texas through collaboration.

Linkedin's logo
Zenia Hernandez, PE

Transportation Program
Manager

bottom of page