USDOT nominees await action in Senate

From Transport Topics.

Nominees for senior roles at the U.S. Department of Transportation continue to await consideration before the U.S. Senate.

Democratic leaders in the chamber, rushing to finalize a year-end agenda centered on a nearly $2 trillion infrastructure budget package, have yet to proceed with votes on the nominees. Republican concerns pertaining to supply chain woes have slowed down their consideration.

The nominees include Meera Joshi to become administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; Amit Bose for the role of administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration; and Victoria Wassmer to be chief financial officer at USDOT.

The Senate Commerce Committee approved Joshi’s nomination in October. During her confirmation hearing, Joshi, currently the agency’s deputy administrator, told the Senate panel: “The transition from mechanical to [artificial intelligence] occurs but for FMCSA, the mission of safety is the No. 1 priority, stays the same. So our challenge is to ensure that our regulations to uphold roadway safety translate into an [artificial intelligence] world.”

Responding to concerns raised by Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) about factors that could contribute to commercial drivers’ fatigue, Joshi said, “Fatigued driving is a critical factor in crashes involving large trucks and buses, and we are committed to a multipronged approach to combating it.”

She added, “This will include outreach and education, the incorporation of advanced safety tools, such as automatic emergency braking, and targeted enforcement during high crash times and locations, especially work zones.”

See the complete article online at Transport Topics.