There will be no national search for a director of transportation in the city as transit officials Tuesday appointed its own to lead San Francisco’s transportation agency during what is a turbulent time as the agency faces a budget crisis and a potential wave of Muni service cuts.
After meeting in closed session, the SFMTA board of directors disclosed they appointed Acting Director of Transportation Julie Kirschbaum to lead the agency. An agency-wide memo on Tuesday afternoon prior to the meeting from board Chair Janet Tarlov and Vice Chair Stephanie Cajina informed staff the board had reached an agreement with Kirschbaum to become the agency’s permanent director of transportation.
“Rather than conducting a nationwide search, which has historically taken nine months to a year, we are moving swiftly to appoint a candidate who has unparalleled experience and qualifications for this role,” the memo read.
Kirschbaum has been with the SFMTA since 2007 where she first led the agency’s Transit Effectiveness Project, later called the Muni Forward program, which looked at transit improvements for every Muni route. She eventually became the director of transit in 2018, leading Muni operations.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Kirschbaum led in rebuilding the transit system over a dozen times, and last year helped achieve the highest customer satisfaction rating for Muni in over 20 years.
Kirschbam wants to rebuild public trust in Muni while recognizing people also choose other transportation methods.
After former Director of Transportation Jeffrey Tumlin left the agency at the end of December last year, Kirschbaum was tapped as the acting director of transportation at the start of this year.
“I’m committed to live up to the high expectations we all have for our transportation system,” Kirschbaum said at the meeting. “I truly believe that the economic recovery of our entire region depends on a strong and thriving Muni system, which our amazing staff makes possible. I will fight on behalf of our employees and our city to really ensure that we find the resources that we need.”
While Muni hit a high mark last year, Kirschbaum said she recognizes that the public is frustrated with the agency and its work.
“I want to rebuild the trust that San Franciscans have for our agency,” Kirschbaum said. “Part of how we do that is acknowledging that people in San Francisco are not defined by their transportation choices. In fact, most people in San Francisco are making a lot of different choices in how they get around. Nobody is just a biker, or just a Muni rider, or just a driver.”
She added that it was just not a “zero-sum game” and that solutions must be found no matter how people get around.
Mayor Daniel Lurie was also in agreement with the board hiring Kirschbaum to lead the SFMTA.
“Under her leadership, Muni has reached new heights for speed, reliability, cleanliness, and safety. And with her commitment to collaborating with residents and businesses, Julie Kirschbaum is the right leader to tackle the significant challenges facing our transportation system and bring it forward into a new era,” Lurie said in a statement.
The staff memo said her contract will be brought to the SFMTA board meeting in March for approval.