Trottenberg confirmed as Deputy Secretary of Transportation at USDOT
Polly Trottenberg, the former commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, has been confirmed by the Senate 82-15 to serve as Deputy Secretary of Transportation at USDOT and joins Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in the second most senior position at the department.
Trottenberg is no stranger to Washington, D.C., having served as the assistant secretary for transportation policy and under secretary for polity in the Obama Administration. She has also served multiple U.S. senators, including Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and former U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY).
Upon completion of the vote, Secretary Buttigieg took to Twitter to offer his congrats to Trottenberg.
Trottenberg garnered praise from New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman and CEO Patrick Foye and Transport Workers Union of America International President John Samuelsen, both of whom Trottenberg worked with during her time at NYC DOT.
“As a leading expert on transportation policy, Deputy Secretary Trottenberg is uniquely qualified for this critical role. I’m confident she will deliver for Americans on the federal level – just as she did in New York– as the administration seeks to pass and implement the historic infrastructure program outlined in the American Jobs Plan,” said Foye. “We are excited to continue working with Polly and Secretary Buttigieg to strengthen and promote public transportation while we recover from this unprecedented crisis.”
“Polly Trottenberg will be an excellent deputy transportation secretary. During her time with the New York City Department of Transportation, Ms. Trottenberg demonstrated a unique level of expertise and professionalism. These next several years will be a pivotal time for workers across America’s transport sectors, and we look forward to continuing to partner with her to protect workers, improve safety, and enhance transportation service delivery across the country,” said Samuelsen.
ITS America President and CEO Shailen Bhatt noted her close working relationship with Trottenberg, who served as a board member of the organization.
“She has a depth of experience and understanding of how technology plays a key role in reducing the epidemic of deaths on our roadways, improving congestion, cutting greenhouse gas emissions from the sector, and creating an equitable 21st-century transportation system,” said Bhatt. “We look forward to working with her, Secretary Buttigieg and the [US]DOT team to move toward ITS America’s vision of a better future transformed by intelligent mobility – one that is safer, greener and smarter.”
-------------
Update: Trottenberg was sworn in during the afternoon of April 14 by Secretary Buttigieg.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
