President Joe Biden on Wednesday formally nominated Robin Hutcheson for Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg appointed Hutcheson Deputy Administrator in late January following the departure of Meera Joshi. As deputy administrator, she also served as the Acting Administrator. FMCSA hasn't had a full time administrator since Ray Martinez, who stepped down from the post in October 2019. The job has since been held by Jim Mullen, Wiley Deck, Joshi and Hutcheson, each as acting administrator.
Hutcheson's nomination still must be confirmed by the Senate. Joshi last October was overwhelmingly confirmed to take on the role full time by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation but had not yet been confirmed by the full Senate prior to her departure in January to serve as the deputy mayor for operations for New York City.
Joshi's confirmation also had wide support among trucking stakeholders, and those same agencies Wednesday backed Hutcheson.
American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear said ATA supports her "swift confirmation by the Senate," citing her deep experience in transportation administration. "Her commitment to working with our industry to improve safety is unwavering. Her continued leadership comes at a critical time for the agency, as the pandemic, natural disasters, workforce shortages and other factors continue to challenge the freight economy in ways never seen before," he added. "America’s trucking industry is the backbone of our economy, and we depend on partners in government who value data and stakeholder input to meet real-world needs and ensure the safe movement of freight across our nation’s highways. That’s particularly timely now, as DOT works to implement the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will strengthen highway safety standards while helping our industry meet the nation’s growing freight demands.”
Similarly, the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) applauded Hutcheson's nomination, noting she is "well equipped with extensive experience drafting and implementing transportation policy."
“TCA has always greatly valued its positive working relationship with FMCSA and its leadership,” said TCA President Jim Ward. “Our collaboration is more important than ever, as the trucking industry has demonstrated its essential status during these unprecedented times. The pandemic and labor shortages have disrupted supply chains and challenged industry, but trucking has remained relentless in our efforts to move America forward. With the nomination of Deputy Administrator Hutcheson, we feel the industry is even better positioned to tackle these challenges.”
