Derek Barrs, a veteran with over 25 years of law enforcement experience, was confirmed as head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on October 3, 2025.
The details: Barrs started his law enforcement career in 1991 with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office before moving on to commercial vehicle enforcement, working his way up through the Florida Department of Transportation and Florida Highway Patrol. He retired as Chief of Florida Highway Patrol’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement division in 2020.
- Barrs has also served on the American Trucking Associations’ Law Enforcement Advisory Board and as a member of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
- After retiring from FHP, he spent five years in the private sector with HNTB, an infrastructure firm.
Industry reaction: Both the American Trucking Associations and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association supported Barrs’ confirmation, saying he understands real trucking issues like freight fraud and unnecessary rules, according to Florida Politics.
Barrs will now oversee about 1,100 federal employees at FMCSA as he takes charge of trucking policy nationwide.