Senate confirms rail, truck agency administrators

The U.S. Senate confirmed Ronald Batory as administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration and Ray Martinez as administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

   The U.S. Senate on Tuesday evening confirmed by voice vote Ronald Batory as administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Ray Martinez as administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
   Both federal agencies reside within the Department of Transportation.
   Batory and Martinez were nominated by the Trump administration on July 11, 2017 and Sept. 29, 2017, respectively.
   Prior to his appointment, Batory, who started working in the freight rail industry 45 years ago, served as president and chief operating officer of Consolidated Rail Corp. since 1998. Martinez spent most of his career involved in state motor vehicle administration positions in New York and New Jersey, most recently serving as chairman and chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.
   The Senate Commerce Committee confirmed Batory and Martinez to their DOT posts on Aug. 2, 2017 and Nov. 8, 2017, respectively.
   Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, said Batory’s confirmation by the full Senate is “a win for railroad safety and I expect him to have an impact.”
   “Ron Batory is supremely qualified to guide the FRA moving forward, equipped with years of real world experience that will surely assist him in his oversight duties,” said Edward R. Hamberger, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads, in a statement. “We look forward to working with Administrator Batory in our collective mission to ensure maximum rail safety.”
   “As a state safety official in both New York and New Jersey, Ray Martinez was a model of professionalism and fairness,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear. “He is an exceptional choice to lead FMCSA and now that he has been confirmed, we look forward to working with him to advance the cause of highway safety.”