Trucking, infrastructure advocates named to DOT posts

Trucking, infrastructure advocates named to DOT posts    The White House said last week that President Barack Obama intends to nominate Anne S. Ferro to be administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
   Ferro is currently president of the Maryland Motor Truck Association and serves on several regional advisory committees related to freight planning, highway safety and transportation funding. In 2008, she was named Maryland's Port Woman of the Year. She was administrator of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration from 1997 to 2003.
   At FMCSA she will be responsible for regulating the safety of commercial trucks and buses. The agency is instrumental in setting safety requirements for motor vehicles and drivers from Canada and Mexico that operate in the United States, supervises issuance of state commercial driver licenses, regulates household goods movers, enforces hazardous material transportation standards, and inspects trucks and buses among other functions.
   On May 28, the White House also named Polly Trottenberg to be assistant secretary for transportation policy at the Department of Transportation. Trottenberg is currently executive director of Building America's Future, a coalition of elected officials focused on raising public investment in infrastructure and merit-based funding programs. The coalition is chaired by Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell, a Democrat, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is an Independent.
   Trottenberg previously served 12 years in the Senate, most recently as deputy chief of staff and legislative director for Sen. Barbara Boxer, and worked extensively on transportation policy.
      She also served as legislative director for Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and as legislative assistant for transportation, public works and environment for the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. During her career Trottenberg also worked at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Massachusetts Port Authority on aviation and transportation finance issues, and on the Joint Commerce and Labor Committee in the Massachusetts State Senate.
   Trottenberg's nomination, along with the earlier confirmation of Roy Kienitz as undersecretary for policy, are expected to push policies that support increased infrastructure investment, including private sector financing, to deal with congestion and system deterioration. Kienitiz previously was Gov. Rendell's deputy chief of staff for transportation, alternative energy and the environment and served as Maryland's secretary of planning where he implemented smart growth strategies.
   Ferro and Trottenberg must be confirmed by the Senate. ' Eric Kulisch