Derek D. Barrs
Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
Session: Featured Keynote — Cargo Theft, Driver Legitimacy & Federal–State Collaboration
Who Is Administrator Barrs?
Derek D. Barrs serves as the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Nominated by President Donald J. Trump on March 25, 2025, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 7, 2025, he leads the agency's mission to enhance commercial motor vehicle safety and bring commonsense principles to regulatory oversight.
With nearly 35 years in law enforcement and roadway safety, Barrs has built a distinguished career at the local, state, and national levels. He previously served as Associate Vice President for Strategic Mobility Solutions at HNTB Corporation, and rose through the ranks from Deputy Sheriff to Chief of the Florida Highway Patrol.
Nationally, he has been a leader in the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), serving as Florida's lead agency representative, as president of the industry membership, and as the inaugural chairman of the Enforcement and Industry Modernization Committee. He has also served on the American Trucking Association's Law Enforcement Advisory Board.
Barrs was appointed by the Governor of Florida to the Flagler County School Board, where he advanced educational success through high expectations and a safe learning environment. A graduate of Flagler College with a degree in Public Administration, he remains active in his community and committed to public safety.
WHAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING
As the nation's top commercial motor vehicle safety official, Administrator Barrs will address how the federal government, states, law enforcement, and the transportation industry can work together so that no freight leaves the dock to an unverified or illegal driver.
- FMCSA's role in commercial motor vehicle safety and the integrity of the federal driver-qualification system
- Driver legitimacy — verifying that the person behind the wheel is the person who holds the CDL
- CDL and identity verification gaps that allow unlicensed, uninsured, and illegal drivers to operate
- English-language proficiency and its place in safe, lawful commercial operation
- Enforcement and information sharing between federal agencies, state authorities, and law enforcement
- Cargo theft, fraudulent pickups, and unauthorized carrier substitutions
- Cooperation between FMCSA, state governments, and the transportation industry at the dock and on the highway
- How the Supreme Court's FAAAA ruling reshapes the federal–state partnership for highway safety
These are the topics and issues that will be part of the Summit discussion. No specific policy position or statement should be attributed to the speaker unless confirmed by the Initiative.
The Nashville Summit
WHO'S BEHIND THE WHEEL?
Driver legitimacy is a public-safety issue.