MTS Welcomes New Board Of Directors And New Leadership

Board members shown, left to right, are Monica Montgomery Steppe, Patricia Dillard, Sean Elo-Rivera, Steve Goble, Ronn Hall, John McCann, Nathan Fletcher, Carolina Chavez, Vivian Moreno, Matthew Leyba-Gonzalez, Jennifer Mendoza (alternate), Mike Donavan, Caylin Frank, Stephen Whitburn, and Marcus Bush.

The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS-San Diego, CA) Board of Directors recently held its first meeting of the year and welcomed several new members to its ranks.

In its first action, the Board voted unanimously to elect San Diego Councilmember Stephen Whitburn (District 3) as new Vice Chair, and San Diego City Council President Pro Tem Monica Montgomery Steppe (District 4) as Chair Pro Tem.

Additionally, MTS welcomed seven new primary members to its Board of Directors: San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, Chula Vista Councilmember Carolina Chavez, Imperial Beach Councilmember Matthew Leyba-Gonzalez, Coronado Councilmember Mike Donovan, La Mesa Councilmember Patricia Dillard and National City Councilmember Marcus Bush.

“I am looking forward to working with the MTS Board of Directors in 2023,” MTS Board Chair and San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said. “We have a good mix of new members who can bring new perspectives and fresh energy. We also have members who have been on this Board for a while, and have a sound understanding of the agency’s challenges and priorities. We are excited to get to work, and ensure MTS continues in a positive direction to help the residents we serve.”

“I am really excited about the leadership in place at MTS,” MTS Chief Executive Officer Sharon Cooney said. “The perspective and direction the MTS Board collectively offers for our transit system helps us grow and thrive. It’s a critically important civic duty, and I’m grateful for their commitment to MTS. We have many important projects happening in 2023, and our Board will play an active role in seeing these projects advance.”

Among the priority projects and initiatives the agency and Board will be working on in 2023 are: Continuing a path to recover ridership lost from the pandemic; Managing the agency’s $380 million annual budget; Prioritizing projects in the agency’s $100 million Capital Improvement Program; Prioritizing capital improvements resulting from the agency’s Social Equity Listening Tour; Making enhancements to the agency’s new fare collection system, PRONTO; Overseeing the launch of Iris Rapid in the South Bay — an all-electric, high-frequency route between the Otay Mesa border and Imperial Beach; and, Advancing the agency’s Transit Oriented Development portfolio, to help address the region’s housing shortage.

MTS operates more than 100 bus routes, and three trolley lines, in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of San Diego. Visit www.sdmts.com.