Working for the U.S. Department of Transportation must be a thankless job, based on the federal agency’s inability to install a lead Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration administrator.
After Meera Joshi cleared Senate hearings and appeared poised to take over as Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), she balked and took a post in New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. Careers do not usually have a trajectory that runs from the federal level back to a municipality, even the Big Apple.
Meera left abruptly in December after serving as Acting Administrator for 11 months in the Biden Administration. Hailed by trucking organizations and both sides of the political aisle as a good fit, she would have filled a vacancy that remained open since full-time FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez resigned in 2019.
“Throughout her tenure, the trucking industry has found Deputy Administrator Joshi to be a candid, collaborative, and valued partner in government,” American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear reportedly said.
Now comes Robin Hutcheson, the latest stop-gap leader in what appears a revolving door at the FMCSA. U.S. DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg officially announced her as the next interim FMCSA administrator on Jan. 19. An FMCSA press release lauded her somewhat modest accomplishments.
“Since January 2021, Ms. Hutcheson has served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Safety Policy for the U.S. Department of Transportation in the Biden-Harris Administration. In this role, she led safety policy for the Department, and coordinated other critical efforts, including COVID-19 response and recovery. She was instrumental in the development of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, especially the new Safe Streets and Roads for All program,” an FMCSA press release states. “Prior to being appointed to the Biden-Harris Administration, she was the Director of Public Works for the City of Minneapolis overseeing a team of 1,100 people across nine divisions including drinking water, surface waters and sewers, solid waste and recycling, fleet management, and all transportation functions.”
Hutcheson, a political hire brought in by the Biden Administration, served in the FMCSA for a total of 13 months before being tapped as Acting Administrator. The relatively short time in the agency and reluctance of others to lead indicates the post may not be the most desirable in Washington, D.C. That being said, Hutcheson appears to be building bridges with trucking leaders. The ATA has roundly endorsed her as the next full-time Administrator, should she receive a nomination and hang on long enough to receive Senate approval.
“If she is formally nominated to serve as Administrator, we will support her nomination,” Spears reportedly said. “She assumes this position at a critical time, as the pandemic, natural disasters, workforce shortages, and other factors continue to challenge the freight economy in ways never seen before.”
Sources: truckersnews.com, hstoday.us
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