Beep has appointed Stephen Berry as chief safety officer and David Rodriguez as senior director of transit operations.
Berry takes the reigns of the newly established chief safety officer position as Beep prepares for rapid growth in 2022, which includes new, larger scale, real-world autonomous shuttle projects and continued development of unique technologies that further elevate safety and overall autonomous capabilities.
Berry will leverage his extensive experience in public safety management, including his previous position as general manager for St. Louis Metro Transit Public Safety.
"Safety is the cornerstone of autonomous vehicle operations. I am excited to bring my expertise in public safety to ensure our organization continues and builds upon its excellent safety record and leadership in making autonomous mobility solutions a practical reality today...I look forward to further expanding public trust of autonomous mobility across the country,” said Berry.
As senior director of transit operations, Rodriguez will leverage nearly 15 years of experience to manage several different aspects of Beep's shuttle deployments, including operational and route planning, attendant staffing and training, first responder training and maintenance of the autonomous fleet. He works closely with autonomous shuttle suppliers to ensure the safe deployment and testing of each project.
Prior to joining Beep, Rodriguez was the transit director at Council on Aging of St. Lucie – the public transit authority for St. Lucie County in Florida.
"With my background in fleet operations and maintenance, I am very excited to join the Beep team as part of the company's rapid expansion into new markets – especially as it continues to build upon the success of its mobility-as-a-service model...My team and I can ensure our clients receive the highest levels of service through sound operational planning and execution,” said Rodriguez.
Both Berry and Rodriguez's appointments happen as Beep celebrates a year of growth, including the opening of its new headquarters in Lake Nona, Fla., its latest autonomous mobility project with the National Parks Service at Yellowstone National Park, the deployment at one of the country's premier 5G-powered smart city environments, Peachtree Corners in Georgia and the selection by Jacksonville Transportation Authority to deliver Phase I of JTA's Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C) in downtown Jacksonville.
"Stephen and David bring a tremendous amount of public transit experience to Beep, which is invaluable as we expand our leadership in advancing real-world autonomous mobility testing in the United States,” Joe Moye, CEO, Beep. “With the public still learning what true autonomous mobility is, we've been educating communities across the country and earning trust alongside some of the most forward-thinking transit authorities this past year with successful and safe service implementations. Our new team members will allow us to further advance our objective of providing mobility for all while addressing the complex needs of communities and regions we serve."
