Ferro to step down at FMCSA

Washington – Anne S. Ferro recently announced that she will resign in August as the top administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Ferro, who was appointed to her role by President Barack Obama in 2009, is leaving to become the president and CEO of the Arlington, VA-based American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, beginning Aug. 25. While at FMCSA, she oversaw efforts to prevent fatigued driving by truckers and prohibit commercial drivers from texting or talking on handheld devices while behind the wheel.

Ferro announced her resignation in a July 25 email to colleagues. In the email, which was obtained by Safety+Health, Ferro told her colleagues to be proud of their “life-saving work.”

“Together, we have made a difference for countless families across the country by raising the bar for safety in motor carrier operations,” Ferro wrote. “We have worked to ensure that companies and drivers are more accountable for their actions, strengthened our oversight of high-risk carriers, created better tools for our law enforcement partners, and opened up a new world of useful data to educate both businesses and consumers alike.”

Some of Ferro’s work at FMCSA has drawn criticism from trucking groups such as the Grain Valley, MO-based Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which called on her to resign in June.