Jackson resigns from DOT’s No. 2 position
A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Transportation confirmed that Michael Jackson, second in command at the department, has tendered his resignation, effective Aug. 1.
As Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta’s top deputy, Jackson was involved in developing all of the department’s major policy initiatives, including setting up the Transportation Security Administration and developing a multi-year surface transportation spending blueprint to replace the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century due to expire in September.
The spokesman said Jackson is leaving to spend more time with his family. In an interview with the Washington Post, which first reported his departure last week, Jackson said the demands of his job prevented him from being home with his wife and 8-year-old daughter and that the position was straining the family’s finances.
Jackson essentially ran DOT for much of the past seven months as Mineta recovered from back surgery. Mineta’s health has led some to wonder how long he will continue in that position. Jackson’s departure removes a natural successor from the mix.
Before joining Mineta at DOT, Jackson was vice president for transportation systems at Lockheed Martin IMS, a unit that Lockheed Martin Corp. has since sold to Affiliated Computer Services Inc. He was senior vice president of the American Trucking Associations from 1993 to 1997, where he served as counselor to then president Thomas Donahue, now head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Jackson was chief of staff at the Department of Transportation when Andrew Card, now White House chief of staff, was secretary of transportation in the first Bush administration.