Candidate has no trucking industry experience
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has announced the appointment of Vinn White to replace Robin Hutcheson, the FMCSA administrator who resigned in January. Until White is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he will serve as the deputy administrator. Prior to joining FMCSA, White was responsible for DOT initiatives on emerging transportation technologies, including those related to automated driving systems.
White served as DOT’s acting assistant secretary of transportation and deputy assistant secretary in 2016. He has also served as DOT’s acting chief artificial intelligence (AI) officer, overseeing the development and use of AI based on administration policies and priorities.
Prior to his federal government service, White served as a senior advisor to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. During that time he worked on transportation and mobility issues in collaboration with the NJ Department of Transportation, the Motor Vehicle Commission, NJ Transit and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Interestingly, the future FMCSA administrator has no trucking experience.
Every year, TAT (formerly called Truckers Against Trafficking) honors a member of the trucking, bus or energy industry, whose direct actions help save or improve the lives of those exploited or prevent human trafficking from taking place, with the Harriet Tubman Award
Bob Costello has indicated that the freight market has improved – but very slowly – since January. It must be said that ATA’s indices are dominated by contract freight as opposed to spot rates.
Now, however, with Republican control of both houses of Congress and the White House (and, some say, the Supreme Court) I am optimistic that trucking will get a fairer shake than it has during Biden’s term in office.