WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy welcomes four new top officials to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation following their confirmation by the U.S. Senate on Oct. 7, in an en bloc vote of 51-47. They are:

  • Michael Rutherford to serve as the first-ever Assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight Infrastructure & Policy,
  • Gregory Zerzan as General Counsel,
  • Derek Barrs as the 8th Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and
  • David Fink as the 16th Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)

Assistant Secretary:

As the first-ever assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight Infrastructure & Policy, Michael Rutherford will lead an office that was originally conceived in the 2020 National Freight Strategic Plan and later created by Congress in 2021. In this position, Rutherford is responsible for developing national freight policy and data-sharing initiatives while working closely with industry and transportation leaders as well as state and local DOTs. He will also oversee all freight-related grant programs, research efforts and lead working groups across the department, including efforts related to tackling the problem of cargo theft.

General Counsel:

As General Counsel, Gregory Zerzan is the chief legal officer of the department, legal advisor to the Secretary, and the final authority within the department on questions of law. Zerzan will lead more than 400 attorneys to address a wide range of issues impacting transportation law, policy and the department’s operations.

FMCSA:

As Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Derek Barrs will spearhead the FMCSA’s work to strengthen roadway safety, improve the efficiency of freight and passenger transport and restore commonsense, results-driven oversight. A long-time advocate within the commercial motor vehicle industry, Barrs represented one of the largest CMV associations as president of industry membership and chaired enforcement and industry modernization efforts. In these roles, he led initiatives to harness technology, modernize enforcement and strengthen safety outcomes nationwide.

FRA:

At the Federal Railroad Administration, David Fink will work to carry out the agency’s mission to enable the safe, reliable and efficient movement of people and goods along a national rail network critical to the U.S. transportation system and economy.