Heather M Pekar
Vice President
Information Technology at MTM, Inc. and Ride Right, LLC
- One word to describe yourself: Caring
- Alma Mater: Texas A&M Corpus Christ
- Favorite book: "The Shack"
- Favorite TV show: "Grey’s Anatomy"
- Favorite movie: "Walk the Line"
- Favorite hobby's: Traveling, being outdoors, fishing and hiking
As MTM’s Vice President of Information Technology, Heather Pekar is truly one of the best and brightest in the transit technology field. Pekar continually demonstrates excellent job commitment; industry involvement and contribution; personal, business, and industry achievement; and innovation. Her team views her as an empathetic leader who knows how to motivate and engage.
Since joining MTM in 2015, Pekar has led the implementation, development, and oversight of MTM’s technology and software solutions. MTM relies on Pekar to lead MTM's Information Technology team in identifying technology trends and creating strategic plans for ongoing enhancements and innovation.
Over her past year with MTM, Pekar has led several technology initiatives, including:
- MTM Access: MTM Access is its proprietary online application for managing functional assessments for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit eligibility.
- Hive: Pekar is currently leading the development of MTM’s new internal operating system, Hive. Hive will control all aspects of MTM’s operations, from call intake and customer service to trip dispatching and complaint management.
- Routing, Scheduling, and Dispatching (RSD) Software: As the transportation industry continues to evolve with new technology, MTM is partnering with several vendors to offer real-time data and on-demand services to our stakeholders—including passengers, medical facilities, case managers, and clients.
Outside of her time with MTM, Pekar has more than 10 years of experience leading the implementation of transit technology at organizations like MV Transportation. She was successful in implementing a pilot project for the New York Department of Education by creating an iOS and Android app to track the location of school buses in real time.
"...Get out there, in the trenches; listen, and think outside the box. Keep up with evolving technology."
Fun fact: Once Pekar decided to move to Canada, but she realized that she need to at least have a passport. Pekar also had a fear of flying.
