Anthony Foxx confirmed as U.S. transportation chief

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Anthony Foxx drew bipartisan support as the Senate voted unanimously on Thursday to confirm him as the nation's next secretary of transportation.

Foxx, currently the mayor of Charlotte, N.C., now goes to Washington to take the reins of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), succeeding Ray LaHood.

Among the agencies Foxx will oversee in his new role is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which regulates school buses, tracks accident data and develops training materials related to pupil transportation. LaHood, during his tenure as transportation secretary, also publicly supported the pupil transportation industry during events like the American School Bus Council's Love the Bus celebrations.

Mike Martin, executive director of the National Association for Pupil Transportation, told SBF that the association congratulates Foxx and looks forward to "working closely with him and his DOT team to continue the successful efforts that make the iconic yellow school bus a safety success story and critical contributor to our public education system."

Likewise, National School Transportation Association (NSTA) Executive Director Ronna Weber offered NSTA's congratulations to Foxx on his unanimous confirmation.

"We look forward to working with him on issues of importance to the school transportation industry,” Weber told SBF.

Foxx became mayor of Charlotte in 2009. Before that, he served two terms on the Charlotte city council, where he chaired the transportation committee and was a member of the economic development and planning committee.

His background also includes a stint as deputy general counsel for hybrid and electric bus manufacturer DesignLine Corp.

Supporters credited Foxx with making investments in transportation and infrastructure systems to enhance business and residential conditions in Charlotte.

"He has done great things to improve transportation in Charlotte, especially expanding light rail in the city," said Ed Rendell, former Pennsylvania governor and co-chair of Building America’s Future.

As a mayor, Foxx "has seen firsthand how investments in our nation's infrastructure can lead to positive and sustained improvements for our citizens and economy," said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, also co-chair of Building America’s Future.