WASHINGTON — The New York Times reports that Elaine L. Chao, former Labor secretary under George W. Bush, will be nominated to head the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Chao has experience — politically and personally — in navigating the competing centers of power in the capital and is married to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY). As Secretary of Labor, she was the only official in Bush’s cabinet to serve with him for all eight years. Chao's must be confirmed by Congress. For the full story, click here.
APTA Chair Doran J. Barnes and APTA Acting President/CEO Richard A. White released the following statement:
"On behalf of the more than 1,500 members of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), we congratulate Elaine Chao, an individual with extensive federal government experience, on her nomination by President-Elect Donald Trump for the Cabinet position of U.S. Secretary of Transportation. We are grateful to have an experienced leader in this position who has previously served at the highest levels at the Department of Labor and the Department of Transportation.
“As the former U.S. Secretary of Labor from 2001-2009, Chao is well aware of the concerns of working people and economic competitiveness. Public transportation offers job access for millions of American workers. Also, since transportation is the backbone of an economy, public transportation is critical to local and national economic competitiveness.
“We are pleased that Chao also has experience with transportation, serving first at the Maritime Administration under President Ronald Reagan and then later as the Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Transportation under President George H.W. Bush.
“The public transportation industry is ready to work with Chao on President-Elect Trump's infrastructure initiative and advance public transportation nationwide."
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
