• Ferro gets committee nod to head FMCSA

    The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has voted to forward the nomination of Anne Ferro to be Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to the full U.S. Senate
    Oct. 28, 2009
    2 min read
    Image
    Anne Ferro

    The U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has voted to forward the nomination of Anne Ferro to be Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to the full U.S. Senate. The only dissenting vote came from Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME).

    The favorable recommendation of Ferro coincidentally came just as FMCSA’s announcement that it would “completely rewrite” current hours of service (HOS) regulations governing truck drivers. That is a move Ferro supported when she testified before the committee back on Sept. 23.

    “Whoever leads this agency must foster frank discussions about the fundamentals in the freight supply chain and motor coach industries that encourage participants to push the limits and put the driving public and other commercial drivers at risk,” Ferro said in her remarks. “The agency must get on with considering a universal electronic on board recorder rule, improving the Hours of Service rule, rolling out tougher standards for entry, implementing effective identification and sanctioning high risk carriers.”

    Despite a career spent largely in state and local government – with seven spent as Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administrator – Ferro’s nomination drew the wrath of advocacy groups such as Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) and Parents Against Tired Truckers (PATT) thanks to her service over the past six years as president of the Maryland Motor Truck Assn.

    “Highway and truck safety organizations, consumer and environmental groups as well as families who have lost children and loved ones in truck crashes are opposing her nomination,” the two groups said in a memo circulated to their members on Oct. 5.

    “The individual appointed to lead this agency should not come from the very industry the agency is required to regulate, especially given the trucking industry’s obstructionist positions on commonsense health and safety issues,” the groups noted. “FMCSA needs a leader and the public deserves an Administrator who has a proven record on truck safety without industry conflicts.”

    About the Author

    Sean Kilcarr

    Editor in Chief

    Sean Kilcarr is a former longtime FleetOwner senior editor who wrote for the publication from 2000 to 2018. He served as editor-in-chief from 2017 to 2018.

     

    Voice your opinion!

    To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

    Sign up for our free eNewsletters

    Latest from Operations

    Brakebush Transportation
    Brakebush Transportation was awarded the 2025 FleetOwner Private Fleet of the Year Award, sponsored by Descartes, for midsize operations.
    Members Only
    Leaders of Brakebush Transportation, a century-old family business, share some of their innovative strategies and deep commitments to drivers that earned their operation FleetOwner...
    Schneider
    schneider 90th anniversary
    Schneider hosted an anniversary event, honoring a legacy that began in 1935 and grew to 12,500 trucks today.
    346047 | Aaron Kohr | Dreamstime.com
    extending asset lifecycles
    By extending asset life cycles strategically, organizations can mitigate financial risks associated with fleet management while maintaining operational efficiency.