Public transit in San Mateo County is getting a high-profile new board member, as former U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Speier was sworn into the SamTrans Board of Directors yesterday. With a career spanning decades in public service, including about 15 years in the House of Representatives, Speier's voice will now shape local transportation. According to a SamTrans statement, she brings a wealth of experience and joins as one of the two San Mateo County Board of Supervisors' reps.
Chair of the SamTrans Board, Jeff Gee, didn't hide his enthusiasm in welcoming Speier, whose history of securing funding and advocating for progressive transit policies speaks for itself. "Director Speier’s commitment to public service and her deep understanding of the transportation needs in San Mateo County make her an invaluable asset to SamTrans," Gee said, as per SamTrans. However, it should be noted that Speier's experience positions her uniquely to guide the transit agency's future steps.
Creating roads for progress in her new role, Director Speier remains focused on the goals she's championed throughout her career. Public transportation and infrastructure investment, cornerstones of regional development, have been areas that Speier has consistently supported. Speier told SamTrans, "I am excited to join the SamTrans Board and continue my lifelong mission of serving the people of San Mateo County," explaining the ties between public transit and larger issues of economic growth, environmental sustainability, and equity.
