Polly Trottenberg Joins U.S. Department of Transportation as Deputy Secretary 

Thursday, April 15, 2021 

Contact:  pressoffice@dot.gov 

Polly Trottenberg Joins U.S. Department of Transportation as Deputy Secretary 

Polly Trottenberg was sworn in Wednesday afternoon as the Deputy Secretary of Transportation by Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in a private ceremony, following her Senate confirmation yesterday.  

Trottenberg brings more than 25 years of public sector experience across all levels of government to the role. Most recently, she served for seven years as the Transportation Commissioner for New York City, where she headed an agency of nearly 6,000 employees responsible for the safe, efficient and equitable operations of New York City’s transportation network. As Commissioner, she also led the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) through COVID-19 response and recovery, prioritizing transforming City streets to promote livability, sustainable transportation and economic recovery.  

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said, “We could not be more delighted to welcome Polly Trottenberg back home to the U.S. Department of Transportation as Deputy Secretary. She earned a reputation here and as Commissioner of NYCDOT as a brilliant, thoughtful, effective public servant whose work improved the lives of millions of travelers. Her passion and skill arrives at a critical moment as we work to transform our infrastructure, create millions of good jobs, advance safety and equity, and combat climate change.” 

Previously, Trottenberg served in the Obama administration as the Assistant Secretary and Under Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation. During her five years at the Department, she developed and implemented transportation policies to address the needs of state and local transportation agencies on every type of project from roads and bridges, to transit and rail, to airports, ports and pipelines.  

Trottenberg’s additional policy and managerial experience includes her time in the U.S. Senate, where she served the Honorable Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Senator Barbara Boxer. Trottenberg graduated from Barnard College and received her Master's in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. 

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