Another former FMCSA boss joins a self-driving truck tech company

A former Deputy Administrator for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has taken a new position with a leading self-driving truck technology startup.

On May 5, California-based tech company Plus.ai announced that former FMCSA head Wiley Deck has joined the company as as Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy.

Plus.ai says that Deck’s duties will include “working with regulators and other key stakeholders to ensure the safe deployment of autonomous trucks, starting with supervised autonomous trucks.”

Deck is not the only former FMCSA deputy administrator to join an autonomous truck tech company. In September 2020, driverless truck tech company TuSimple announced that one-time FMCSA head Jim Mullen was hired to oversee legal affairs and risk management strategy for the company.

“We are pleased to welcome Wiley to lead our government affairs and public policy effort at this important phase of growth for our company,” said Shawn Kerrigan, COO and Co-founder of Plus. “As the former Deputy Administrator at the FMCSA, Wiley brings a deep understanding of the transportation and infrastructure needs in the United States and the potential of autonomous trucks to transform the freight industry. Wiley will further our dialogue with policymakers and other important stakeholders as we move closer to becoming the first self-driving truck developer to start mass production of an autonomous driving system for heavy trucks.”

“It is an honor to join Plus during this exciting stage of the company’s and industry’s trajectory,” said Wiley Deck. “Autonomous trucking is fundamentally reshaping commercial transport and regulations will be a critical part of unlocking the full potential of this technology to make long-haul trucking safer, more efficient, more comfortable, and better for the environment. Plus sits at the forefront of this evolution and I look forward to working with Shawn and the rest of the team to enable a safer, more sustainable future.”