First Transit appointed Robert James as the organization’s first vice president of technology and innovation where he will report directly to the president.
James will be responsible for combining technology, innovation and leading the strategic vision for the organization’s mobility solutions. A well-respected thought leader, James is often selected to provide insight on industry technology solutions and infrastructure, according to First Transit.
“Robert has worked across the country developing and leading initiatives that intersect innovation and transportation,” said First Transit President Brad Thomas. “His experience in areas such as connected vehicle technology, mobility as a service (MaaS) and shared autonomous vehicles allows us to maintain and build our leadership position in mobility innovation.”
James has 30 years of technology and engineering experience in areas such as autonomous vehicle applications, transportation research and developing solutions for multi-modal trip planning. James was most recently at HNTB as the chief engineer of emerging mobility.
“First Transit has a legacy of delivering innovation to their customers,” James said. “My goal is to build on this foundation, developing strategies that will deliver enhanced mobility solutions to our customers.”
James earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from John Hopkins University. James has five children and resides with his wife in Odessa, Fla.
