In this episode of Beyond the Bite, Eddie Aldrete sits down with Texas Transportation Commissioner and long-time friend Alex Meade — not just to talk policy, but to tell the story of a problem-solver who believes progress begins with listening.

Meade’s journey starts long before his appointment to the Texas Transportation Commission. From his days in city management to his work in economic development, he learned that big challenges are rarely solved from behind a desk. So, when he joined the Commission, he did something almost unheard of: within his first year, he personally visited all 25 TxDOT district offices. Only one other commissioner had ever done it.

What he found wasn’t just a list of projects — it was a patchwork of priorities, personalities, and regional realities. And the lesson wasn’t about asphalt or appropriations. It was about consensus. Meade makes the case that in Texas, the greatest barrier to progress isn’t always funding — it’s alignment. His diplomatic style, grounded in respect and accessibility, has become his most effective tool.

That approach was tested in one of the most complicated regional efforts in recent memory: the merger of three Metropolitan Planning Organizations in the Rio Grande Valley. Encouraged by Governor Greg Abbott, the task meant bringing together 47 cities — each with its own leadership, interests, and history — under one unified planning structure. What could have become a turf battle instead became a blueprint for collaborat ion. Through persistence, patience, and a steady focus on shared goals, the Valley emerged stronger and more influential in statewide transportation decisions.

Throughout the conversation, Meade reflects on the leaders who shaped him — especially the late Transportation Commission Chairman Bruce Bugg. Bugg wasn’t just a chairman; he was a mentor and an advocate who understood that relationships move projects. Meade speaks of him with genuine warmth — recalling a leader who championed the Valley, believed deeply in Texas’ future, and modeled what it meant to serve with humility. His legacy isn’t just measured in miles of roadway, but in the people he brought together. It’s clear that Bugg’s spirit of collaboration continues to guide Meade’s work today.

In the end, this episode is less about transportation policy and more about the art of bringing people together. Alex Meade shares how diplomacy, accessibility, and steady leadership can turn competing interests into common purpose — and how, in a fast-growing state like Texas, consensus may be our most valuable resource of all.

https://www.txdot.gov/about/leadership/texas-transportation-commission/alejandro-meade.html

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-meade-114b14205/