- Alma Mater: University of Texas at Austin
- Favorite transit route you have ever ridden (and why): I rode the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway in 2016 and thoroughly enjoyed the rider experience from beginning to end. The convivence and speed of traveling between cities by the high-speed railcars made my trip memorable. I still remember seeing the hundreds of riders immediately get off the high-speed train in Shanghai and it made it one of my favorite rides I ever experienced.
Jonathan Tanzer is described as a transportation technology trailblazer who has passionately demonstrated his capacity for innovation, leadership and commitment to making an outstanding impact in transit. His experience in the industry includes leading and contributing to multimillion-dollar, high-visibility transportation projects.
He currently oversees a technology project portfolio and serves as a project-program manager implementing critical systems focused on Austin’s Capital Metro’s (CapMetro) mission to connect people, jobs and communities by providing quality transportation choices to central Texas. His collaborative leadership style bridges the gap between technology and business and has been essential in the development of his team of project managers. Tanzer has proven himself to be an innovative transportation expert who can be counted on to provide customers with state-of-the-art tools that make using CapMetro services easy and accurate.
Tanzer has led teams that are expanding the authority’s transit on-demand system, adding new features to the CapMetro App and he is leading the CapMetro technology systems collaboration and integrations with Austin Transit Partnership, which is the independent organization guiding the Project Connect transformational expansion, among many other initiatives.
Tanzer’s leadership has transformed Capital Metro’s customer and service enabling technology acquisitions and implementations so customers can access information better, faster and easier, and operations staff can improve service delivery and reliability. His efforts have shown the vital importance of technology in the transit agency’s ability to deliver its strategic vision to provide intuitive, reliable and innovative technology systems that improve passenger safety; are dynamic in addressing customer and service operational needs; and demonstrate a culture of innovation to the community.
Tanzer has been exceptional in his role supervising employees, implementing innovative tools for CapMetro’s customers; contributing expertise as a member of the Enterprise Project Portfolio Management Advisory Committee; and volunteering to provide quality customer experience to the community.
Accomplishment you’re most proud of and why?
Being a part of Capital Metro’s MetroRapid service and CapMetro App launch in January 2014. This launch was my first experience being involved with numerous transit system technologies in the vehicles; at the stations; for operations of the service; and for customers to use their phone as their payment. It was a huge agency wide effort in the months leading up to the MetroRapid launch and I am still proud of all that we accomplished.
