Senate Clears Top DOT Choices

The U.S. Department of Transportation has a slate of top new officials to reinforce Secretary Ray LaHood and take over for stretched career employees after the Senate confirmed several of them, including a new head of the Federal Railroad Administration.

Also approved by a voice vote April 29 were a new DOT undersecretary and general counsel, plusthe Research and Innovative Technology Administration.

Former labor official Joseph C. Szabo, who headed the state legislative office in Illinois for the train conductor-focused United Transportation Union, will take over FRA.

That agency is charged with promoting and enforcing railroad safety for Class Is and small railroads alike, including equipment and labor performance, and manages several loan and grant programs that are especially important to short lines and passenger operations.

It is also struggling under this year’s sudden extra assignment to craft plans to push out $8 billion for passenger rail development under the Recovery Act, a large program laid on a staff built for a much more narrow set of mandates.

Roy W. Kienitz was cleared to take office as under secretary for policy. Robert S. Rivkin will be DOT’s general counsel and Dana G. Gresham an assistant secretary.

Peter H. Appel becomes administrator of RITA, an agency charge with developing innovative technologies such as intelligent transportation systems, collecting data and boosting training in the technology.

Contact John D. Boyd at jboyd@joc.com .