Meera Joshi, acting administrator and deputy administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is leaving the post to accept a position as Deputy Mayor of Operations for New York City.
Joshi, nominated by President Joe Biden in April to serve as the agency's full-time administrator, has served as FMCSA's acting administrator since January. She was overwhelmingly confirmed in October by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation to take on the role full time but had not yet been confirmed by the full Senate, despite support from within the trucking industry.
FMCSA hasn't had a full-time administrator since Ray Martinez, who stepped down from the post in October 2019. The job has since been held by Jim Mullen, Wiley Deck and Joshi, each as acting administrator.
[Related: Groups urge Joshi's confirmation as FMCSA boss]
A DOT spokesperson said the agency was grateful for Joshi’s leadership this past year at FMCSA, applauding her for engaging "with truck drivers and the motorcoach industry to chart a clear path for FMCSA to address our supply chain challenges, improve driver safety and job quality." The spokesperson added she'd "built a strong team at FMCSA who will help build on this foundation."
Joshi's ascent to Deputy Mayor of the most populated city in the U.S. is a homecoming of sorts. She previously served on the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, which regulates the city’s taxis, for-hire vehicles, commuter vans and paratransit vehicles.
Joshi, along with DOT and FMCSA, were set to play a key role in President Biden's Trucking Action Plan, which seeks to attract and retain workers to the trucking and transportation industries.
It's unclear at this point who will be named FMCSA's next acting administrator and who President Biden plans to nominate to replace Joshi as his pick to lead the agency.
[Related: Joshi weighs in on the COVID hours waiver, trucking oversight, port congestion, more]
