FMCSA boss nominee Joshi questioned at confirmation hearing
Summary
FMCSA Administrator nominee Meera Joshi testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation as part of a confirmation hearing Wednesday. Questions Joshi faced included just how she would handle a number of issues – from supply chain inefficiencies, potential future hours of service waivers, FMCSA’s oversight of new entrant motor carriers, port congestion and more. She listed several priority items, including the electronic transfer of license data between states (a rulemaking for which is in the works); a provision in a future rulemaking requiring a license downgrade if a positive drug test is submitted to FMCSA’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse; and strengthening the agency’s new entrant program, including keeping a closer eye on new entrants in the industry. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) wondered about freight bottlenecks, and what kind of investments Congress could make to improve supply chain efficiency, specifically at ports. Most recently, during Hurricane Ida, large trucks brought emergency supplies to our hardest hit regions.” Joshi has served as FMCSAs acting administrator since January.