2025 40 Under 40: Juan Martinez Cabre, MBA, PMP

Juan Martinez Cabre, regional director of North America at Optibus, is known by colleagues for his ability to approach every customer and prospect interaction with thoughtful attention, ensuring he fully understands their needs before offering solutions. His colleagues describe him as intellectually curious and highly empathetic—someone who asks smart, strategic questions to improve both his product knowledge and his impact on the industry.  

He’s not only a team player but also a thoughtful leader who isn’t afraid to offer constructive feedback or challenge assumptions to achieve better outcomes.  With this mentality, he’s steadily risen from intern to director over the past decade, taking on increasingly complex responsibilities and consistently delivering results.  

His interest in transit began as an undergraduate student at San Francisco State University, where he discovered the personal freedom public transit offered and quickly became a transit advocate among his peers. The summer before he graduated, he interned at Cubic Transportation Systems, where he led market research initiatives that helped inform the company’s M&A strategy, identify emerging trends and evaluate potential synergies with future acquisitions. Since then, he has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to professional growth and public service, earning a master’s degree while working full-time, and most recently, his project management professional certification to further support his development as a leader in the field. 

During his time in the industry, he’s built an impressive track record working across multiple domains, including real-time passenger information, fare collection systems, Intelligent Transportation Systems, mobile ticketing and now planning, scheduling and operations software. He has led projects with agencies of all sizes across the globe. 

 At Optibus, he quickly became a top global performer, ranking in the top tier against quota attainment and overall sales among his colleagues worldwide. He was recently promoted and now carries additional responsibility, overseeing the full sales cycle from prospecting to deal closure, transitioning clients to onboarding and managing relationships through the end of the contract in over 20-plus states in his region. His ability to build trust, drive results and deliver value has made him indispensable to the North America team’s success.   

At Optibus, his ability to think holistically and leverage his industry network has been key in solving complex challenges. With a deep understanding of the transit ecosystem and its evolving technology landscape, he has regularly collaborated with product, solution architecture and partnership teams to craft creative solutions that go beyond the standard offering. His innovative mindset has directly impacted transit agencies by improving service reliability, increasing operational efficiency and reducing costs. His influence doesn’t stop at the sale. He ensures innovation reaches the community through lasting, measurable improvements in public transit systems. 

He has been highly involved in the transit industry and actively contributes his time to various organizations and professional groups. He has been an American Public Transportation Association (APTA) member since 2015 and participates in both the Bus Operations and Transit Planning & Scheduling subcommittees. In 2018, he was selected to participate in APTA’s Europe Mission Study Trip, where he gained firsthand insight into Mobility-as-a-Service initiatives across Europe. That experience not only deepened his industry knowledge but also inspired him to one day give back as a mentor and leader.  

He’s also a regular attendee and sponsor of numerous state, regional and national transit conferences, where he shares knowledge and builds connections across the community. 

Outside of work, he has long been committed to service. He spent many years volunteering with a Tijuana house-building ministry through his church, previously participated in mentoring with Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County and recently joined the San Diego Chapter of the Project Management Institute to stay connected with local professionals and continue his personal development. 

Is there a specific experience that led you to where you are today?   

Growing up I was always fascinated by how people move through cities, but it wasn't until I lived in San Francisco for college then later studied abroad in Madrid that I experienced riding transit. I fell in love with the freedom and independence that public transit provided, sparking a deeper interest. While waiting for my transcripts to transfer back post-study abroad, I took an internship at Cubic Transportation Systems in the fare collection division. That experience introduced me to the world of transit technologies, and I've been passionate about improving mobility ever since. That early exposure shaped the foundation of my career and set me on the path to where I am today. 

What do you enjoy most about your job?  

I love working at the intersection of people, technology and community. Every day, I get to collaborate with agencies and operators across the country to improve how transit is planned and delivered. Whether it’s helping a city optimize routes or supporting the adoption of new tools, I enjoy knowing that my work makes public transit more efficient, accessible and responsive to the needs of local communities. 

What is the accomplishment you’re most proud of and why?   

One of my proudest accomplishments was completing my MBA while working full-time. It was a demanding period that tested my ability to manage competing priorities. For over 2.5 years, I worked a full-time schedule while attending classes at night and on weekends. While juggling both responsibilities was demanding, it was rewarding to be able to immediately apply what I was learning in the classroom to real-world challenges in my role. 

What is an accomplishment you would like to work towards in your career?   

I aspire to lead a major transformation project for a megacity transit agency—one that delivers measurable improvements in service reliability, operational efficiency and the rider experience. Whether through modernizing outdated systems or reimagining how service is delivered, I want to help shape what the future of transit looks like in the U.S. Long term, I hope to grow into a leadership role where I can not only drive innovation but also mentor the next generation of transit professionals. 

What is your best advice/tip/best practice you can share from your area of expertise?   

Start by listening—really listening—to what your customers and prospects need. In technology sales, it’s not about pushing a product—it’s about building trust by listening and solving problems together. I’ve found the most successful projects come from strong partnerships, a deep understanding of the agency’s constraints and creative thinking that balances innovation with practical implementation.