Former Deputy Secretary of US-DOT to Serve as Advisor
You never know what can happen when you attend an industry conference or symposium: you might learn about an up-and-coming start-up, see new technology in action, or reconnect with former colleagues in person. You might even engage in fascinating conversations with a new contact. In October 2022, Metropia CEO and Founder, Dr. Yi-Chang Chiu attended the University of Arizona Center for Applied Transportation Sciences Mobility Symposium, where he came away with a new relationship and, as a result, a new Advisor to Metropia.
Metropia is excited to announce that Mr. Victor M. Mendez, the former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, has agreed to be part of Metropia’s Advisory Board. Over the past couple of months, it became clear that Victor’s and Metropia’s visions in the areas of carbon offsets and how MaaS makes urban communities more livable, among others, are in alignment. Highly sought out for his wisdom and decades of experience in the public sector, Victor will only consider affiliation with companies that innovate, utilize technology, and focus on real-world solutions that will improve our lives and businesses. We are thrilled he considered Metropia and look forward to having him on board in 2023.
What Matters Most: Climate, Equity, and Education
Aside from safety issues, Victor sees climate and resiliency as the biggest challenge and priority facing our industry today. Accordingly, looking at how transportation solutions affect climate drives his view of the world. He is zealous about innovation and passionate about equity and education, as he believes that “advancing educational opportunities for the younger generation is critical to our future. Ensuring that low and middle-income individuals can rise up in the wealth scale and have access to education and good-paying jobs is important to our future generations.”
Something as seemingly simple as providing the first and last mile option in a mobility app, such as Metropia’s ConnectSmart, can make a big difference in someone’s life. It may be the user’s only way to get to a doctor’s appointment or to a job interview. Metropia’s MaaS uses real-time data to improve commutes and, in turn, daily life in urban areas.
Innovation Leads to Solutions
Victor said, “transportation companies are buried in data. Those that crack the code on better utilization of data are companies that will see real results and develop innovative solutions.”
Metropia engineers sift through mountains of data to create a personalized intermodal trip planner and integrate it with a mobility wallet. We implement behavior change strategies so users may discover carpools and transit options. We put our vision into reality: transform urban mobility so that cities are better connected and less congested – for everyone.
Visions Align & Partnership Forms
Realizing that Metropia’s vision and his own are congruent gave Victor the assuredness to join Metropia’s Advisory Board. He also saw a natural match between his own passions and those of Metropia’s leadership. Victor said of Dr. Yi-Chang Chiu, Metropia’s CEO and Founder, “in addition to values, leadership and innovation are key to a company’s success. His presence in the way he takes complex ideas and explains them, as well as being the type of person others gravitate towards, are key elements of a true leader.”
“We are thrilled that Victor is serving as an Advisor. He is the visionary leader that can help inform and educate Metropia – as well as all in our sector – as we work together with a common, shared vision,” said Yi-Chang.
With Victor as Advisor to Metropia, we will expand market reach, advance product-market fit, and make a positive societal impact on the challenges we all face in our sector – especially working towards achieving equity and making urban communities an even better place to live and work.
As you may be attending future industry meetings, such as the TRB Annual Conference in Washington, DC, we hope you, too, will benefit not just from your scheduled meetings but have the good fortune to come away with unforeseen synergies that benefit your company and the future of transportation.