N.J. motor vehicle agency chief named to head FMCSA

President Trump on September 26 announced his intention to nominate Raymond Martinez to be administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Martinez currently is chairman and chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, which is charged with the licensing of nearly 6 million drivers and the titling, registration and inspection of more than 6 million vehicles. He also is a member of the New Jersey State Planning Commission. Previously, Martinez has served as the state commissioner of motor vehicles for New York, as chairman of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and a deputy chief of staff and special counsel to New York's attorney general. He holds a law degree from St. John's University and a bachelor's degree from Long Island University's C.W. Post College.

Currently, only one of the Department of Transportation's modal agencies -- the Federal Aviation Administration -- has a confirmed administrator, although FAA Administrator Michael Huerta holds a tenured position and is a holdover from the Obama administration. President Trump has nominated individuals to head all the other DOT agencies except for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.