Manhattan City Councilman Ydanis Rodríguez will be the new commissioner of the Department of Transportation, and Adams will also re-nominate Aloysee Heredia Jarmoszuk as chair of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, his team announced Monday.
Rodríguez, who's represented areas of upper Manhattan in the City Council for the last 12 years, was one of Adams' early supporters during the Democratic primary for mayor. Since 2014, he has chaired the committee on transportation in the City Council. He had been expected to have a role in the Adams' administration.
"I will work with the rest of my colleagues in the administration, the City Council, advocates, and the private and academic sectors, to carry on our vision of turning New York City into the most pedestrian and cyclist-friendly city in the nation,” Rodríguez said in a press release sent by the Adams' team.
Born in the Dominican Republic, Rodríguez worked as a teacher for 13 years before entering elected politics. He co-founded the Gregorio Luperón High School in Washington Heights, which focuses on Hispanic students who have English as a second language.
Adams is also nominating Aloysee Heredia Jarmoszuk to continue as CEO and chair of the Taxi and Limousine Commission. Heredia Jarmoszuk has served in that role since February 2020.
Born in New York from Dominican parents, Heredia Jarmoszuk worked at the Department of Education and the mayor's office under Bill de Blasio before leading the TLC. Her nomination will have to be confirmed by the City Council early next year.
“I look forward to partnering with Mayor-elect Adams, his Administration and all stakeholders to strengthen the Licensed Driver and Vehicle Industry. The City has a bright future ahead and I look forward to contributing to its success,” she said in a press release sent by the Adams' team.
These two announcements come the same day Adams picked five women as deputy mayors. None of those deputy mayors are Hispanic, which is is a break from tradition, since every mayor going back to David Dinkins has selected a Latina to serve in a deputy mayor position.