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In a historic appointment, Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock became the first Hispanic woman to chair the Board of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO). But as she told Que Onda Magazine, it wasn’t until after her appointment that she fully realized what that moment meant to the community.
“It’s been a tremendous honor to serve in this role, and I take that responsibility very seriously—especially knowing how meaningful it is for the Hispanic community to see one of their own in this position.”
Leadership with Purpose
Brock was appointed in 2024 by Houston Mayor John Whitmire to lead METRO, which manages a $1.9 billion budget for transit across Greater Houston. Though she holds one of the city’s most powerful civic positions, her path was grounded in humility and consistency.
“There’s no main ingredient,” she said. “It’s putting one foot in front of the other and doing a good job.”
Brock said she encourages young people—especially interns she mentors—to treat every interaction as a stepping stone.
“Every interaction that you have with somebody, should be treated like a job interview.”
No Ordinary Day
As for what her day-to-day looks like, Brock admitted, “There’s no two days that look alike.”
“Every day is a new day. It’s a new challenge… We’re working every single day to provide a useful service to really understand what our customers need, which makes it not only challenging but also exciting.”
Taking the Lead on Climate and Access
METRO is in the process of upgrading 350 buses to improve performance and reduce emissions. The updates will address on-time reliability while also shifting to a cleaner fuel mix.
“It is really critical that we are making sure that our transit-dependent folks are getting to work on time,” she said. “But we also need to make sure that that fuel mix is eco-friendly.”
One innovation she’s especially proud of is the Community Connector: an all-electric, on-demand microtransit program currently operating in pilot zones like Second and Third Ward, Near Northside, and the Heights.
“We want to make sure that what’s coming out of the tailpipe is clean. It’s not enough to do something good if it’s also contributing to poor emissions.”
The program allows residents to book shared rides within a 3- to 5-mile radius—providing better access to essentials like work, school, doctor’s appointments, and groceries. Brock said one rider told METRO he never bought frozen foods before because they’d melt by the time he got home. Now, he can.
From Transit-Dependent to Transit by Choice
Brock emphasized that improving the system—not blaming the public—is key to increasing ridership.
“We want METRO to be the preferred mode of transportation as opposed to somebody being transit dependent,” she said. “We believe that when you provide a superior service, people will choose you.”
She noted that some still opt to pay $50–$60 to park downtown rather than ride METRO—something she aims to change through convenience, reliability, and cleanliness.
A Safer Ride for All
Safety, both perceived and real, is a top concern. Under Brock’s leadership, METRO Police is now fully staffed and decentralized to be closer to high-crime areas. The agency has also added substations and mobile units to respond faster to hotspots.
“We’re getting our police out of their cars and onto the rail system and onto the buses so that there is more safety.”
METRO is also improving lighting, upgrading cameras, and replacing plexiglass with mesh at bus stops to reduce heat.
Another effort underway is a partnership with the City of Houston and Mayor Whitmire’s homelessness initiative.
“We want to make sure that we do it in a humane way… but we also are mindful that these bus shelters have a given purpose—and that’s for people to sit and wait for the bus.”
Rethinking Access and Experience
From sidewalks to shelters, Brock said improving infrastructure is essential to a positive rider experience. Technology plays a big part in that transformation.
“We live in a society where it’s one click away. If it’s more than one click, people abandon it.”
The goal is to simplify access with a unified app and expand features like Apple Pay, all while ensuring that METRO is intuitive for riders of all backgrounds.
Preparing for Global Events—and Everyday Travel
With Houston set to host FIFA World Cup matches in 2026, Brock said METRO is preparing to deliver a seamless transit experience to an international audience.
“We want to make sure that when they come here, they’re able to get around Houston the way they’re used to. Because Houston will be on display.”
Among the most celebrated services today is the direct route between Bush Intercontinental Airport and Downtown—just $4.50 for a 37-minute trip. Brock said plans are in place to expand similar service to Hobby Airport and the Galleria.
METRO is also rethinking its Park & Ride program. Brock sees potential in changing the surface lots into parking garages in growing suburbs where commuters are more likely to shift from cars to transit.
Fiscal Transparency and the Long Game
As a steward of nearly $2 billion in taxpayer funds, Brock stressed that every investment must align with one goal: increasing ridership.
“Everything we do must tie to ridership. So as we look at being cleaner, we look at being more safe, more accessible and our on-time performance—all of that will be directed towards ridership.”
Her vision for the future?
“That we move from being a transit-dependent culture to a transit that people choose to use.”
A Final Word to the Community
Before concluding the interview, Brock took a moment to acknowledge the role of Latino media in helping METRO reach its diverse ridership.
“Thank you to Que Onda for helping to be the vessel to share a message. Because without papers like Que Onda and without the media and your voice, we’re not able to get our message out. So I just really, really appreciate you taking the time and showing interest in what we’re doing. Because the work that we’re doing here is helping our people.”