The Senate yesterday confirmed Anne Ferro as Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Administration. It also approved Cynthia Quarterman as Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.


Ferro comes to the post from the Maryland Motor Truck Association, where she has served as president for the past five years. Before that she served 11 years with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, first as Associate Administrator and then as Administrator. She is the sixth FMCSA chief since the agency was created as separate administration within the Department of Transportation in 2000.

In achieving the confirmation, Ferro overcame opposition from safety advocacy groups and the Teamsters union, which objected to her support for the current hours of service rules. She had broad support from the industry and the safety enforcement community.

"I have had personal experience in working with Ms. Ferro in both positions she has held in the State of Maryland," said Buzzy France, an officer in the Maryland State Police and president of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. "She has an excellent understanding of how government, law enforcement and industry need to work together to solve problems, and will be a great advocate for safety."

Ferro is highly qualified, said Dave Osiecki, Vice President for Safety at American Trucking Associations. "We look forward to working with Ms. Ferro to advance ATA's comprehensive highway safety agenda to further improve the trucking industry's on-road safety performance."