NOTE: This story has been updated to include information pertinent to recent changes to the Senate’s confirmation process.
Washington — The Senate has confirmed Derek Barrs as the new head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Barrs takes the reins as agency administrator after legislators approved S. Res. 412 by a 51-46 vote on Oct. 3, then voted 51-47 on Oct. 7 to confirm Barrs and more than 100 other nominees.
President Donald Trump nominated Barrs in March. The nomination advanced out of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee with a 15-13 vote on July 30.
Barrs served as chief of the Florida Highway Patrol from January 2001 to January 2020 after spending a decade as deputy sheriff in the Madison County (FL) Sheriff’s Office.
He also has filled multiple roles with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and as part of the American Trucking Associations’ Law Enforcement Advisory Board. Most recently, he served as an associate vice president at HNTB Corp., a transportation infrastructure association.
ATA President and CEO Chris Spear supported Barrs’ nomination.
“Mr. Barrs is well-equipped to meet this moment, boasting nearly two decades of experience in law enforcement as well as in the CMV industry,” Spear said in a press release. “Throughout his career, he has demonstrated his ability to bridge industry and enforcement, forge consensus, and deliver results.”
In a separate release, CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney said the organization is eager to work with Barrs and FMCSA to “continue to strengthen our partnership, share expertise and enhance safety initiatives with the goal of reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles.”
Speaking during a July 16 hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Barrs frequently referenced his background in law enforcement and transportation leadership. He testified that he’d make roadway safety his “highest priority” if confirmed to lead FMCSA.
Lawmakers asked Barrs about multiple safety sensitive concerns facing the trucking industry.
When Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) addressed planned strategies to reduce truck crashes, Barrs advocated for effective traffic enforcement and “preventive” inspections geared toward “finding those violations well before they happen so we can prevent those crashes.”
Barrs agreed with Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) that safe truck parking is a “necessity,” calling for effective use of federal grant funding as well as possible engineering or “redesigning” of current parking locations.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) asked Barrs for input on Trump’s Executive Order requiring drivers to be placed out of service for failing an English proficiency test involving a driver interview and an assessment of highway traffic sign recognition.
Said Barrs: “It’s extremely important that that driver is able to at least have a conversation, understand the commands and understand our road signs for safety. It’s safety first, and that’s where I believe my experience comes into this as understanding the effects that it places on roadside [inspection], as well.”
Barrs is FMCSA’s first permanent, Senate-confirmed administrator since Robin Hutcheson, who was confirmed in September 2022, resigned in January 2024.
