Pedrosa
Ray Pedrosa does not think of himself as a salesman. Despite his recently expanded geographic area of responsibility as Director of Commercial and Account Management for Verra Mobility, Ray would tell you he works in mobility and has been in the business since you had to pull the film out of the cameras and enforcement photos were developed in a dark room. For more than twenty years, Ray has worked with government agency partners to implement technology that creates smarter cities and roadways. His work isn’t just about building a company, but about making communities safer.
Ray has been at the forefront of safety technology in California throughout his career. As a Los Angeles County native, Ray helped launch the first photo enforcement program in Southern California in the late 1990’s at the Metro A-Line crossing in Long Beach. He subsequently worked with the California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, among other cities, to introduce automated enforcement systems, and even managed the city’s parking violation bureau. Ray’s adept resume made him an instant asset to Verra Mobility when he joined in 2005. Today, he manages the western region of the United States, from Hawaii to Louisiana.
Verra Mobility’s Impact on Urban Safety and Efficiency
Founded in 1987, Verra Mobility has quickly emerged as a global leader in mobility solutions, drawing subject matter experts, like Ray, to join an innovative industry team of engineers, product developers, and technology professionals. Today, they are the leading provider of smart transportation solutions and empower communities to make mobility safer, more efficient, and more sustainable. Focused on innovation and technology, Verra Mobility is dedicated to transforming the way people move and interact with transportation systems worldwide. This commitment is weaved through their products, such as their speed safety enforcement and bus lane enforcement systems.
Innovative Solutions for Safer Communities
The safety technology company’s track record of successfully implementing speed enforcement and multiple other safety mobility enforcement systems for government agencies and private companies helped Ray and his team secure contracts with some of the nation’s largest metropolitan regions. Today, Verra Mobility’s technology can be found in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
In Seattle, Ray was an integral part of not only launching the state’s first red-light program in 2006 and speed program in 2008, but also in legislative efforts to ensure the programs were written in a fair and equitable way and addressed concerns from all parties. Now this program is considered one of the most successful programs in the country – one that other cities look to emulate.
“Cities are looking at safety more thoughtfully than before,” said Ray. “It’s more holistic. They’re looking to mobility solutions to answer the questions: How can we get more people riding buses? How can we reduce traffic congestion? How can we reduce our carbon footprint? Enforcement isn’t the sole reason, but it’s still a driving factor in California. People drive too fast and are too distracted.”
Transforming Transportation Systems with Technology
Speeding is a contributing factor to approximately 30% of all U.S. traffic fatalities, and data shows that 35% of fatalities in California are speeding-related. With a shocking number of pedestrians struck and killed each year, Ray feels that his work is more important than ever. Last year in his hometown of Los Angeles, a metro region of over 12.4 million people, 336 people were killed by vehicles.
The data for people of color is far worse. Because of the locations of speed corridors, Black pedestrians in California are 62% more likely to die in vehicle crashes than white Californians. “Verra Mobility’s technology ensures enforcement is equitable,” said Ray. “The equipment only looks at the outside of a vehicle and captures the license plate, not the driver – this way the technology can eliminate bias and focus on making streets safer.”
Ray’s work for Verra Mobility has helped nearly fifty regions and hundreds of communities improve the safety of pedestrians, bikers, and drivers. American infrastructure and city layouts enable driver behavior that endangers lives, and that infrastructure is not going to change overnight. “It’s not often that you feel both fulfilled by your work and know that you are helping make the world a safer place,” said Ray. “Our technology is proven to change driver behavior, and potentially save lives.”
To learn more about Verra Mobility,
visit www.verramobility.com.
