Mullen stepping down at FMCSA

Senior Policy Advisor Wiley Deck to lead agency

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Deputy Administrator Jim Mullen is leaving the agency at the end of August, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has confirmed.

“We greatly appreciate Jim’s service and the work he has done for our country. Wiley Deck, currently a Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary and former FMCSA Director of Government Affairs, will assume the role of Deputy Administrator of FMCSA,” a DOT spokesman said in a statement.

Mullen had been leading the agency for less than a year. He took over the top position at FMCSA in October 2019 when Ray Martinez stepped down.

Mullen oversaw the rollout of two significant regulations during his short tenure: the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse in January; and the final hours-of-service rulemaking published in May.

Mullen also presided over a series of nation-wide exemptions and waivers from HOS and commercial driver license regulations since the implementation in March of President Trump’s emergency declaration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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John Gallagher

Based in Washington, D.C., John specializes in regulation and legislation affecting all sectors of freight transportation. He has covered rail, trucking and maritime issues since 1993 for a variety of publications based in the U.S. and the U.K. John began business reporting in 1993 at Broadcasting & Cable Magazine. He graduated from Florida State University majoring in English and business.