Earlier this week, Polly Trottenberg was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

Dep. Sec. Trottenberg is known as a veteran transportation official.

She most recently ran New York City’s transportation department and oversaw initiatives including the City’s adoption of Vision Zero and the new 14^th Street busway in Manhattan.
 
Prior to her role as NYC Transportation Commissioner, Trottenberg was the assistant secretary for transportation policy and undersecretary for policy at the federal DOT during the Obama administration. Rounding out her impressive resume includes a stint on Capitol Hill, where she worked for Senators Pat Moynihan (D-NY), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Barbara Boxer (D-CA).

Former colleagues have nothing but praise for the new Deputy Secretary.

“I think that the next couple of years are going to be the most transformative in infrastructure and transportation in America since the 1950s with Eisenhower, and I think Polly is going to be at the center of shaping that,” said Tom Wright, president and CEO of the Regional Plan Association.
 
Her expertise certainly stands out, and a statement from her confirmation hearing illustrates how seriously she views her new role: “As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, we face a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve our transportation system and ensure that it equitably serves all Americans and communities both large and small.”

Relevant QFR excerpts.

Questions for the Record (QFRs) related to unmanned systems were posed to Dep. Sec. Trottenberg, and AUVSI looks forward to engaging with her team more fully on these issues. Relevant excerpts of the QFRs are below:
 

• On how she plans on prioritizing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), she responded:

“The main priority of the FAA is aviation safety. When it comes to Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), safety is not just about the aircraft itself, but how that aircraft can safely integrate into our shared airspace and ensure the safety and security of our communities. There are still many challenges, but we are very focused on encouraging the progress of clean aircraft technologies and job creation here in the U.S. I look forward to working with Congress and the FAA to help the Department solve the remaining safety barriers so UAS can become a vital part of a cleaner, robust, domestic economy.
 

• On how she plans to ensure that the DOT has the appropriate expertise to develop and enforce rigorous safety standards for the continued development and eventual safe deployment of AV technologies, she answered:

“If confirmed, I am eager to work with you and your colleagues in Congress to ensure that the Federal government is leading the way on ensuring safe autonomous vehicle operations nationwide. I will work with our operating administrations to assess our capacity building programs, the DOT-funded University Transportation Centers, and partner with safety organizations, industry, and other stakeholders to make sure our workforce is prepared and advance deployment of safe AV technologies.”

AUVSI heartily welcomes Dep. Sec. Trottenberg back to the DOT.

We look forward to working with her and her team on UAS, autonomous vehicles, and unmanned systems generally. Our industry shares the DOT goals of increasing transportation safety, creating a cleaner transportation network, and strengthening the American workforce and we are excited for what is to come from Dep. Sec. Polly Trottenberg.