San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed today nominated former Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Executive Director Steve Heminger to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors. Heminger’s nomination must be confirmed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

If confirmed, Heminger will help lead the SFMTA Board in their search for a new Director of Transportation. This nomination follows a letter from Mayor Breed yesterday requesting the Board begin a search for candidates and Director Ed Reiskin’s announcement that he would be resigning once his current contract expires in August.

“Steve Heminger’s expertise in regional transportation will make him an incredible addition to the Board of Directors, especially at this critical moment as the Board embarks on its search to find SFMTA’s next leader,” said Mayor Breed. “Moving forward, his insight and experience working with transportation agencies across the Bay Area, including SFMTA, will support the City’s work to strengthen our public transportation system, make our streets safer for all users, and deliver transportation improvement projects.” 

Heminger led the MTC for 18 years before retiring earlier this year. He is well-regarded as a transportation expert and brings decades of experience working with the SFMTA and regional transportation partners. During his time at the MTC, he was responsible for administering over $2 billion per year in funding for the operation, maintenance and expansion of the Bay Area’s surface transportation network. Under an interagency agreement with the Association of Bay Area Governments, Heminger and his executive team provided staffing services to that organization as well.

“San Francisco has no shortage of transportation challenges, but I am confident we can improve,” said Heminger. “I thank Mayor Breed for the opportunity to bring my regional experience to bear on making it easier for my fellow residents to move around town.”

Heminger was appointed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to serve on the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, which helped chart the future course for the federal transportation program. As Chairman of the Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee, Heminger also oversaw construction of the new East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge – at the time, the largest transportation project in California history. He has served a member of numerous boards of directors over the course of his 35-year career, including for the Transportation Research Board, Mineta Transportation Institute, Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Californians for Better Transportation, and the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association.

Heminger received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University.