President-Elect Picks Elaine Chao to Lead Transportation Dept.
This story appears in the Dec. 5 print edition of Transport Topics.
Elaine Chao, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for secretary of transportation, has the endorsement of the commercial transportation sector and would bring to the job nearly a decade of experience running a federal agency.
Trump acknowledged Chao’s longevity in government and expressed hope she would achieve his goal of modernizing the country’s infrastructure and updating trucking regulations that concern the industry.
“Chao’s extensive record of strong leadership and her expertise are invaluable assets in our mission to rebuild our infrastructure in a fiscally responsible manner,” Trump said Nov. 29.
Of Trump, Chao said he has outlined a clear vision to “transform our country’s infrastructure, accelerate economic growth and productivity and create good-paying jobs across the country.”
An expectation across the commercial transportation industry is that a Trump White House will roll back Obama-era rules pertaining to commercial drivers’ work schedules. Trump has stressed a need to undo regulations — without addressing specifics pertaining to the trucking sector.
The trucking industry, led by American Trucking Associations, sounded hopeful a Chao-led Department of Transportation would be understanding of its concerns.
“I had the privilege of serving with and working closely with Secretary Chao during my time at the Department of Labor, and I am extremely pleased that she will be taking on this new challenge,” said ATA President Chris Spear, who served as assistant secretary of policy at the agency from 2001 to 2004.
“We are eager to support her as our country and our industry work to improve our roads and bridges, improve safety and harness the potential that emerging technologies have to continue to move our country forward,” Spear added.
Said Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association Executive Vice President, Todd Spencer: “Should she be confirmed, we look forward to addressing all the issues facing the industry and small-business truckers.”
As the country’s top transportation officer, she would oversee the Trump administration’s ambitious funding goals to rebuild structurally deficient bridges and roadways.
She led the Labor Department from 2001 to 2009, becoming the first Asian-American woman to hold a cabinet position. Before that, she was deputy secretary at DOT and chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission. She is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who told reporters he would not recuse himself from her confirmation vote.
If confirmed, Chao will succeed Anthony Foxx.
She would also become the second secretary at the department who was married to the leader of the Senate. Elizabeth Dole was DOT chief from 1983 to 1987, while her husband, Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.), was majority leader from 1985 to 1987.
Groups representing myriad transportation interests responded to Chao’s selection.
“We know based on her prior tenure at the Department of Transportation that she has a full appreciation of the vital role freight and passenger rail play in America,” said Edward Hamberger, president of the Association of American Railroads.
Truckload Carriers Association President John Lyboldt said Chao will already be familiar with trucking- related issues and, as a former secretary of labor, she understands how government works.
Association of Equipment Manufacturers President Dennis Slater said: “One of the foremost tasks facing the next secretary of transportation will be helping President-elect Trump realize the robust infrastructure investments about which he had spoken so passionately on the campaign trail.”
On Capitol Hill, transportation policymakers also sounded optimistic.
“Chao has a distinguished record of serving the nation and has already shown she can work effectively with members on both sides of the aisle,” said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Commerce Committee, which oversees trucking policy.
Aside from Chao, last week Trump tapped billionaire investor Wilbur Ross to fill the top role at the Department of Commerce. Ross was an architect of the Trump campaign’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan.
If the Senate confirms Ross, he will succeed Penny Pritzker, a billionaire entrepreneur.
Trump has pledged to deliver legislation to Congress during his first 100 days in office that would aim to invest $1 trillion in infrastructure over 10 years by providing $137 billion in tax credits to companies. The plan would need congressional approval to go into effect. Thus far, Republican leaders have not endorsed the plan.
