The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Robin Hutcheson as the seventh administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Hutcheson has been serving as the agency’s acting administrator since replacing FMCSA Acting Administrator Meera Joshi, who left in January before being formally confirmed. Hutcheson’s nomination was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee in June.
Hutcheson is FMCSA’s first Senate-confirmed administrator since Ray Martinez, who left the agency in October 2019.
“During a time when our supply chains are being tested to their limits, I believe that her public and private experience, as well as her experience at both the local and federal level, will bring a unique perspective to the role and improve the safety of our transportation networks,” said committee member Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., in support of Hutcheson’s nomination on Thursday.
Hutcheson previously served as deputy assistant secretary for safety policy for the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Biden administration. She led the development of the National Roadway Safety Strategy, which DOT rolled out earlier this year, “and helped secure $13 billion in additional funding for safety programs and initiatives” in the infrastructure bill enacted last year, according to FMCSA.
Previous to the Biden administration, Hutcheson was director of public works for Minneapolis and the transportation director for Salt Lake City. She was a private consultant before joining public service.
“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,” commented American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear.
At her nomination hearing in June, Hutcheson updated lawmakers on several rulemakings and upcoming proposed rulemakings at FMCSA, including pending mandatory guidelines on hair testing for drugs in the trucking industry.
