Jeff Tumlin has officially stepped into the role of Director Of Transportation for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) on December 16th, becoming the agency’s fifth director. Prior to this significant appointment, Tumlin was a Principal at Nelson Nygaard, a globally recognized transportation consulting firm. His extensive experience involves guiding cities in aligning their transportation operations with core values and leveraging transportation investments to achieve critical goals encompassing mobility, social justice, economic development, public health, and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, he has collaborated with emerging mobility companies, offering invaluable insights into urban dynamics and how their services can contribute to the greater public good. This background positions him uniquely to address San Francisco’s complex transportation landscape.
From Accidental Start to Transportation Advocate: The Journey of a Director of Transportation
Tumlin’s entry into the transportation sector was, by his own admission, somewhat unexpected. Arriving in San Francisco in 1991 during a recession, he found himself in a precarious situation. A timely call from a former employer offered him a role managing the parking system at Stanford University. Initially, it wasn’t his chosen career path, but necessity dictated his acceptance.
However, this role quickly opened his eyes to the profound impact of transportation on critical societal issues. He realized that professionals in transportation often wield greater influence over public health outcomes than those in healthcare itself. The same held true for economics, social equity, and environmental protection. Crucially, the transportation industry possessed the resources to enact meaningful change.
In a time when these broader implications were largely unrecognized within the transportation industry, Tumlin’s perspective allowed him to become a prominent voice. He became an advocate for industry reforms, championing issues like transportation equity. Over time, he became a vocal critic of the historical injustices inflicted upon minority communities by the transportation sector.
His career’s central theme became transforming transportation from an instrument of social privilege to a catalyst for positive social impact. This vision now guides him as the Director of Transportation in San Francisco.
Vision for San Francisco: A Director of Transportation’s Perspective on Growth, Equity, and Safety
As Director of Transportation, Tumlin envisions a San Francisco that proactively addresses the challenges of rapid urban growth. He acknowledges the city’s capacity for increased residential density but emphasizes the physical limitations of its street network in accommodating more private vehicles. The core challenge, as he sees it, is managing both residential and economic expansion while maintaining efficient urban mobility.
Beyond practicalities, his vision is deeply rooted in San Francisco’s values. He poses a crucial question: Will the city prioritize enhanced convenience for the privileged, or ensure basic mobility for those with limited options? As Director of Transportation, his priority is clear: to develop, operate, and maintain a system that strengthens communities amidst change and reduces the financial burden of mobility for all residents.
Traffic safety is a paramount concern. With a disturbing rise in traffic fatalities, Tumlin stresses the urgent need for decisive action. This necessitates making difficult, and potentially unpopular, choices. He highlights the well-established link between speed and traffic accidents, and the inherent conflict between driver convenience and the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Addressing this requires a fundamental re-evaluation of shared values and a realignment of priorities under his directorship.
The role of transportation in supporting local businesses, particularly small enterprises, is also central to his vision. He emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between neighborhood commercial success and public transportation, where thriving local businesses reduce strain on the broader transportation system. In San Francisco, where many startups and small businesses are owned by women and minorities, a supportive transportation system becomes a tangible tool for promoting equity, a key objective for the Director of Transportation.
Decarbonizing transportation is another critical pillar of his vision. Recognizing transportation as the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, he emphasizes the need to transition people from private cars to public transit. While San Francisco already boasts a green transit fleet, the focus must shift towards increasing ridership on buses and light rail, maximizing environmental impact under his leadership as Director of Transportation. Changing travel habits will be challenging, but he believes in San Francisco’s collective spirit and the power of public transit, like Muni, to unite the city.
Addressing Challenges and Priorities: The Director of Transportation’s Initial Focus
To realize his ambitious vision, Tumlin understands that the SFMTA must be a model workplace. As Director of Transportation, he aims to cultivate the most welcoming, inclusive, and professional environment in the industry. This involves fostering respect among all colleagues, irrespective of background, reflecting San Francisco’s values of diversity and inclusion. He intends to harness the shared sense of public service within the agency.
He acknowledges significant challenges in hiring, employee retention, and succession planning. The immediate need for more bus operators is pressing. To attract and retain essential personnel like operators, mechanics, and electricians, SFMTA must regain its competitiveness as an employer. Historically, these roles provided a pathway to the middle class, enabling employees to live in San Francisco – a challenge in today’s economic climate that the Director of Transportation must address.
Beyond staffing, infrastructure capacity is a major concern. Challenges exist within the subway system and regionally along the Transbay corridor. New projects are expected to operate at full capacity from day one, highlighting the immense pent-up demand. Improving the efficiency and timeliness of major capital projects is crucial, requiring focused effort and strategic direction from the Director of Transportation.
Tumlin’s initial approach to these challenges is to listen to SFMTA staff. He believes the solutions lie within the agency’s existing expertise. Drawing on his experience working with transportation agencies nationwide, he recognizes the exceptional talent pool within SFMTA. As Director of Transportation, his primary role is to empower this talent by removing obstacles and providing the necessary support for staff to excel.
Building Coalitions and Engaging Communities: The Director of Transportation’s Collaborative Approach
Director of Transportation Tumlin sees a significant opportunity to build broad coalitions to support city and agency priorities. He emphasizes the wide-ranging impact of transportation on health, the economy, and equity, aiming to engage stakeholders beyond traditional transportation circles. He seeks to involve individuals and groups who are passionate about these broader societal issues.
Recognizing a potential disconnect between vocal participants in public meetings and the broader community, he is committed to designing more inclusive community engagement processes. His goal is to reach a wider spectrum of voices and reduce the barriers to participation in local government, ensuring that the Director of Transportation is responsive to the needs of all San Franciscans.
Understanding that change can be unsettling, Tumlin emphasizes the need for compassion. He believes in understanding the underlying fears driving community concerns, particularly in a city like San Francisco where housing insecurity is a pervasive issue. Acknowledging the anxieties many residents face, he aims to create positive change within this sensitive context, guiding San Francisco’s transportation future with empathy and understanding as Director of Transportation.
Excitement and Potential: A Director of Transportation Ready to Lead San Francisco
Jeff Tumlin expresses deep admiration for San Francisco, citing its unique blend of talent, resources, and clearly defined values. However, he also recognizes a gap between San Francisco’s potential and its current reality. As Director of Transportation, he is excited to bridge this gap, leveraging the city’s unparalleled tools and resources.
He is particularly enthusiastic about San Francisco’s unique approach to mobility, which incorporates a sense of enjoyment and delight. He appreciates iconic experiences like riding the F Line, cable cars, biking along the Embarcadero, and driving across the Golden Gate Bridge. This unique character of San Francisco’s transportation landscape is something he values and aims to enhance as Director of Transportation, ensuring its continued vibrancy and appeal.
