President-Elect Joe Biden is planning to nominate former presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg to head the U.S. Department of Transportation, according to published reports. As transportation secretary, he would play a large role in Biden’s push for a bipartisan infrastructure package.
However, it’s unclear what experience in transportation the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor would bring to the role, with Politico saying “Buttigieg’s landing spot comes as a surprise given his thin transportation policy resume.”
Politico notes that South Bend, with a population of just over 100,000, has a relatively small transportation footprint. The local transit agency has a fleet of 60 buses, and the nearby airport is run by the county, not the city.
