President Joe Biden Appointments DOT Officials

President Joe Biden has made several appointments to the transportation industry since the inauguration. Along with the appointments, President Biden has presented a proposal for $1.9 trillion for economic aid to assist with COVID-19. Of that, $20 billion would go towards transit operations.

Meera Joshi will serve as the deputy administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The appointment was made on January 21, 2021. Joshi is replacing Wiley Deck, who served as the deputy administrator during the Trump administration.

Lana Hurdle is acting as secretary of transportation until Pete Buttigieg is approved by the Senate. Buttigieg is the former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana. He went before the Senate Commerce Committee on January 21, 2021.

Stephanie Pollack, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary, was chosen as deputy administrator for the Federal Highway Administration. Nuria Fernandez, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority General Manager, will now be the deputy administrator of the Federal Transit Administration.

Steven Cliff, the deputy executive officer at the California Air Resources Board, was named the deputy administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Most of the appointees have already started working in their new roles. The others must be approved by the Senate before they can start.