The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a confirmation hearing Sept. 23 on President Obama's nomination of Anne Ferro, president and CEO of the Maryland Motor Truck Association, to head the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.


Ferro has broad support from the national safety community, based on her record as a safety advocate at MMTA and as the former chief of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.
While at the Motor Vehicle Administration, Ferro established a strong record in highway safety, regulatory compliance and agency leadership, the White House said when it announced her nomination. "She has extensive experience in driver and vehicle safety, having led the agency's efforts to establish a graduated licensing program for new drivers in Maryland as well as a model for older driver research," the White House said in its statement.

The Teamsters union and the safety advocacy community have opposed her nomination, saying she supports the FMCSA's approach to hours of service regulation.

She would replace former Administrator John Hill, who now is a truck safety consultant based in Indiana. Hill said that when he was administrator he served with Ferro on the board that oversees the commercial driver's license information system. "We had to make very hard decisions on that board, and she was up to the task," he said. "She's very committed to safety."

Ferro's experience as a motor vehicle administrator and a trucking representative gives her valuable background, he added. "She has knowledge of the safety components . . . and she understands the industry part. A lot of times you get one or the other. But she comes in knowing both sides and I think that's really important when you're regulating people."