American Trucking Associations is urging the U.S. Senate to confirm the nomination of Meera Joshi to serve as administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Joshi has been acting FMCSA administrator since April.  

ATA President and CEO Chris Spear recently sent a letter to leaders of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation expressing the trucking federation’s support for Joshi’s nomination ahead of her confirmation hearing scheduled for Sept. 22.

“In her eight months serving as Deputy Administrator, Ms. Joshi has become a vital partner to the trucking industry in addressing issues of safety, infrastructure, workforce development, and more,” Spear wrote in the letter. “The COVID-19 pandemic and its disruptive impact on the U.S. supply chain did not pause for the transition to a new Administration, and her response to those challenges has been swift, sure, and effective.

Spear said the association has been particularly impressed by her reliance on data to address real-world needs, he wrote.

“As a testament to FMCSA’s paramount mission of safety, Deputy Administrator Joshi immediately engaged motor carriers, drivers, and other stakeholders across the trucking industry to ensure that we could continue safely serving American businesses and families despite an unprecedented global pandemic, natural disasters, cyber-attacks on pipelines, and a workforce in need of support and growth. Her engagement has been candid, collaborative, and valuable.”