U.S. Senate Confirms Schultz: STB Leadership Secured Through 2030

WASHINGTON D.C. – The U.S. Senate has confirmed Michelle A. Schultz for a second term on the Surface Transportation Board (STB), ensuring experienced leadership continuity at the nation’s primary rail economic regulator through 2030. This move, following her renomination by President Donald Trump, is part of a broader series of Senate confirmations solidifying leadership across key federal transportation and labor agencies.

Main Body:

The U.S. Senate’s confirmation secures Michelle Schultz’s position on the five-member Surface Transportation Board for a second term. President Donald Trump renominated Schultz on September 10, extending her tenure until November 30, 2030. Schultz first joined the STB on January 11, 2021, after her initial confirmation in November 2020. She has held the position of the board’s vice chairman twice, from February 2022 to January 2023, and was named to the role again on January 22, 2025.

Schultz brings a wealth of hands-on rail industry experience to the federal regulatory body. Before her appointment to the STB, she dedicated 14 years to leadership roles at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), one of the largest transit systems in the U.S. In her most recent position as deputy general counsel, she was responsible for a wide range of critical functions, including representing SEPTA before the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), serving as lead counsel on a major railroad reconstruction project, and managing complex real estate transactions and contract negotiations.

The confirmation of Schultz occurs within a significant period of Senate activity on key administrative appointments impacting the broader logistics and trade sectors. In recent sessions, the Senate also confirmed Stephen Carmel to lead the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) and Laura DiBella as a Federal Maritime Commissioner. These transportation-focused appointments complement confirmations at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), where labor attorneys Scott Mayer and James D. were approved, restoring a functioning quorum to the crucial labor oversight body.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership Stability: Michelle Schultz’s confirmation ensures regulatory continuity and deep institutional knowledge at the STB for the remainder of the decade.
• Extensive Rail Expertise: Her background at SEPTA provides the board with invaluable practical experience in rail operations, federal compliance, and large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Broader Administrative Context: This confirmation is part of a strategic effort by the administration to secure leadership across interconnected federal agencies governing rail, maritime shipping, and labor relations.

Editor’s Analysis

For the global rail market and international supply chain stakeholders, the confirmation of Michelle Schultz provides a crucial element of predictability. The STB’s rulings on freight rail mergers, reciprocal switching, and service standards have profound effects that ripple across the North American network and impact global trade flows. Securing a board member with Schultz’s extensive public transit and freight-adjacent legal background until 2030 signals a stable regulatory environment. This allows international shippers, logistics partners, and investors to better forecast the U.S. rail landscape and make long-term capital decisions with greater confidence in the regulatory philosophy that will guide the world’s most valuable freight rail system.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Surface Transportation Board (STB)?
The STB is an independent federal agency responsible for the economic regulation of freight rail in the United States. It resolves rate and service disputes and reviews proposed railroad mergers.

How long is Michelle Schultz’s new term?
Her second term as a member of the Surface Transportation Board is set to expire on November 30, 2030.

What was Michelle Schultz’s role before joining the STB?
For 14 years prior to joining the STB, she held leadership positions at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), most recently as deputy general counsel.