FMCSA’s acting boss Jim Mullen stepping down at month’s end

Jim Mullen

Jim Mullen, who’s helmed the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in an interim capacity since October 2019, is leaving the agency at the end of August.

Wiley Deck, currently the senior policy advisor to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and FMCSA’s former director of government affairs, will assume the role of Deputy Administrator at FMCSA — the agency’s de-facto boss until a new FMCSA Administrator is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

“We greatly appreciate Jim’s service and the work he has done for our country,” the DOT said in a statement.

Mullen assumed the role as Deputy Administrator, and effective acting FMCSA chief, last October when former Administrator Ray Martinez announced his departure. In just his 10-month tenure as FMCSA’s boss, however, he did shepherd through a Final Rule to overhaul hours of service regulations, an initiative left in progress by Martinez when he left.