By Abigail Wolfgram, Liz Patel, Neela Babu, WTS-DC 
June 2022

There’s never been a better time to work in transportation. When Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg sat down with moderator Beverley Swaim-Staley, retiring President and CEO of Union Station Redevelopment Corporation, and the WTS-DC chapter at the Hotel Monaco in downtown DC, she repeated this sentiment multiple times. She’s seen many changes and a lot of industry growth throughout her career – from developing the nation’s first Vision Zero program as commissioner of New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) to serving in the Obama Administration as Assistant Secretary and Undersecretary for Policy at US DOT and working in the Senate under Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Majority Leader Charles Schumer, and Senator Barbara Boxer – but she still lauded this moment as an unparalleled opportunity.

In her prepared remarks and throughout the conversation, Deputy Secretary Trottenberg described the resources available in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to tackle our toughest challenges around safety, state of good repair, equity, and climate. She particularly discussed opportunities to address the nation’s roadway fatality epidemic, a problem that disproportionality affects people of color and tribal communities. While recognizing that we have a long way to go, she was optimistic about nation-wide cultural shifts on safety, the Administration’s National Roadway Safety Strategy, and new programs in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, such as the locally-focused Safe Streets and Roads for All program. As the conversation continued, the Deputy Secretary highlighted that one priority is for women to feel safe working in all sectors of the transportation industry, including the Merchant Marine Academy and the trucking industry. While on the topic of trucking, she acknowledged the issues related to the supply chain and the challenges experienced by people across the country. She highlighted the work performed by the administration and noted that it is an ongoing effort with highly capable leaders in charge.

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Taking the conversation in a personal direction, Beverley Swaim-Staley asked Deputy Secretary Trottenberg how her career path prepared her for her current role. She highlighted the learning opportunities in each of her diverse career experiences, including how her time at NYCDOT taught her the nuances of local government. On the topic of mentors and advocates, Deputy Secretary Trottenberg said she was fortunate to have many mentors and other examples of exceptional professionals throughout her career. She also commented on the value of her peer network to whom she has been able to turn for advice. Deputy Secretary Trottenberg touted the value of WTS saying that it is an organization that provides mentors and role models while also giving members the opportunity to develop their own peer network.

During the Q&A, audience members asked about rising costs in construction, the use of data across the industry, vision zero lessons learned from her time at NYCDOT, and equity. Deputy Secretary Trottenberg stated that equity, climate change, job creation, and safety are all priorities for the administration and are incorporated into everything US DOT is doing, from grants to internal efforts.

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When asked to share a final piece of wisdom, Deputy Secretary Trottenberg looked back at these experiences and described the confidence she’s gained along the way – from underestimating her knowledge of the industry to now trusting her ability to learn new things and make decisions. She recognized that women aren’t always socialized to self-advocate for leadership roles but encouraged WTS’s “generation of bright stars” to trust themselves and step up to the incredible opportunities in front of us.

WTS-DC thanks Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg and Beverley Swaim-Staley for generously sharing their time and insights with our chapter.

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