James Garner

Manager, Research and Analysis @Pace Suburban Bus

Arlington Heights, IL

I manage and provide vision to a professional staff of 14 at one of the country\'s largest bus-only transit agencies. We provide scheduling services, GIS services, and information analytics using many data sources. As a Pace project manager in the award-winning Ventra fare payment system from Cubic, I have been deeply involved in the development of this account-based system and the seamless and successful integration into each agency\'s revenue systems. Member of the team that won the 2016 Innovation Award from APTA for the regional Ventra Mobile App. I work in a multi-agency regional environment where my agency is neither the largest nor the most powerful player in the arena. I have a solid record of collaboration and achievement in such an environment. We work in-house and with local universities to develop new data analysis and visualization tools (using R, Python, and Tableau) that enable us to better use the resulting information for better decision-making and greater customer satisfaction. A major focus has been on re-allocating resources from traditional areas to reflect current needs and to increase organizational flexibility without adversely impacting the organization and without adding resources. My staff and I provide much of the critical budget information and distribute this budget and performance information in various ways to many stakeholders. Other interests include developing applications for integrated (\"seamless\") mobility options for both today\'s vehicles,and the (autonomous) vehicles of the very near future. How do we take advantage of the strengths of multiple modes with different cost and management structures, with varying business models and capital needs. Is there even a place for current transit paradigms? Lots of questions need to be developed, asked, and answered, by a wide range of stakeholders.some questions didn\'t exist five years ago, and some have always existed-people just thought they could be ignored.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

SBCE, Transportation Systems

Northwestern University

Transportation Systems

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

SBCE, Transportation Systems