Meet the People Keeping California’s Railways Safe

Every day, trains carry passengers and goods across California, moving through communities, across roadways, and along thousands of miles of track. Behind the scenes, the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) Rail Safety Division staff work to help ensure those rail systems operate safely.

For Rail Safety Month, we are introducing three of the people behind the work: James Matus of the Rail Transit Safety Branch, Matt Cervantes of the Rail Crossings and Engineering Branch, and Robert Stabler of the Railroad Operations and Safety Branch.

Each works in a different area of rail safety, but they share the same goal: helping keep California’s railways and the communities around them safe.

California’s rail transit systems help millions of people get where they need to go. The CPUC’s Rail Transit Safety Branch (RTSB) provides safety oversight of rail transit agencies throughout the state, helping ensure these systems meet state and federal safety requirements.

James Matus is one of the CPUC employees helping carry out that responsibility. In the video below, James shares more about his role, the rail safety work he is proud of in 2026, and why it’s important.