Senate confirms Robin Hutcheson as FMCSA administrator
Washington — Robin Hutcheson is the first permanent, Senate-confirmed leader of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in almost three years, after the Senate approved her nomination as agency administrator Sept. 22.
Hutcheson has served as FMCSA’s acting administrator since January. She was elevated to that position after Meera Joshi, President Joe Biden’s previous nominee to lead the agency on a permanent basis, withdrew her candidacy in December.
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on June 22 voted to advance Hutcheson’s nomination after Biden announced in April his intention to nominate her.
Hutcheson is a former deputy assistant secretary for safety policy at the Department of Transportation. She also served as director of public works for the City of Minneapolis and transportation director for Salt Lake City. Hutcheson is a past president and member of the board of directors for the National Association of City Transportation Officials.
FMCSA hasn’t had a permanent leader since Raymond Martinez stepped down in October 2019. Jim Mullen and Wiley Deck served as acting agency administrators after Martinez resigned.
In a press release, American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear congratulates Hutcheson on her confirmation and calls her “true partner” with the industry.
“Whether it is addressing safety concerns, ongoing supply-chain issues or workforce development, she has been open to engaging with our industry, and we look forward to continuing our ongoing, candid dialogue about these challenges and to engaging with her and her agency to implement solutions that uphold safety and improve efficiency in trucking and across the supply chain.”
In a separate release, Mark Allen, president and CEO of the International Foodservice Distributors Association, congratulates Hutcheson and says he and the organization “look forward to continuing to work with her on today’s most pressing trucking and supply-chain issues.”
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