President Donald Trump announced that he intends to nominate Raymond P. Martinez of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to serve as the next administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
“The Alliance supports this nomination,” said Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) Executive Director Collin Mooney. “With Mr. Martinez at the helm of FMCSA, we look forward to continuing our long-standing history of fostering a collaborative and cooperative relationship between CVSA and one of its federal government partners, FMCSA.”
Prior to his nomination, Martinez served as chairman and chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. He was the chairman of the MVC Board and an executive branch member of the New Jersey State Planning Commission. Martinez was also selected by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) to serve as a member of its international board of directors. In addition, Martinez served as commissioner for the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and also held the position of chairman of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
“As an organization comprised of state enforcement agencies throughout North America, CVSA is pleased with Mr. Martinez’s extensive experience managing and representing a state agency,” said Mooney. “His time with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles gives him the experience and exposure necessary to guide FMCSA and work collaboratively with the Alliance.”
“As the administrator of a state agency and the chairman of the New Jersey Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, Mr. Martinez is well positioned to understand the unique challenges facing state motor carrier enforcement and safety personnel,” Mooney continues. “In particular, his experience with running a state-wide agency will be valuable as he works to administer the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program.”
The Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) is a federal grant program that provides financial assistance to states and territories to reduce the number of crashes, fatalities, injuries and incidents involving commercial motor vehicles through consistent, uniform and effective safety programs. MCSAP is FMCSA’s largest grant program supporting state and local law enforcement agencies to increase enforcement and safety activities nationwide.
“We look forward to working with Mr. Martinez and all the dedicated people at FMCSA to continue to improve safety on our nation’s roadways and, ultimately, to save lives,” Mooney added.
FMCSA’s primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries. Activities of the administration include: ensuring safety in motor carrier operations through enforcement of safety regulations, targeting high-risk carriers and commercial motor vehicle drivers, improving safety information systems and commercial motor vehicle technologies, strengthening commercial motor vehicle equipment and operating standards, and increasing safety awareness. FMCSA works with federal, state and local enforcement agencies, the motor carrier industry, labor and safety interest groups, and others.
Once Martinez has been nominated to serve as FMCSA administrator, he will next face a confirmation hearing by the Senate Commerce Committee. After the hearing, Martinez must be confirmed by the Senate. If confirmed, Martinez will be the sixth administrator in FMCSA’s history.