SBF 70 years logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

NHTSA Acting Administrator to Step Down

Heidi King’s last day as acting administrator of the regulatory agency will be Aug. 31. She will be replaced by James Owens, the U.S. DOT’s deputy general counsel.

Nicole Schlosser
Nicole SchlosserFormer Executive Editor
August 15, 2019
NHTSA Acting Administrator to Step Down

Heidi King’s last day as acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be Aug. 31. Photo courtesy NHTSA

2 min to read


Heidi King’s last day as acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be Aug. 31. Photo courtesy NHTSA

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Heidi King, the acting administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is reportedly stepping down.

Aug. 31 will be King’s last day in the position, the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) confirmed to SBF. King will be replaced by James Owens, the regulatory agency’s deputy general counsel.

As SBF previously reported, King was chosen by President Trump to lead the NHTSA in April 2018, after more than a year passed without a top official heading up the agency. King was already holding a leadership position at NHTSA, having served as deputy administrator since September 2017. The agency’s previous administrator was Mark Rosekind, an Obama appointee whose tenure ended before Trump took office in January 2017.

King narrowly cleared the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which voted 14-13 to approve her nomination in June 2018, as SBF previously reported. However, her nomination wasn’t yet voted on by the full Senate, according to The Washington Post.

King had also served as chief economist for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and as a regulatory policy analyst in the White House’s Office of Management and Budget from 1998 to 2000 and from 2007 to 2011. Through those positions, she became familiar with NHTSA and its work on Corporate Average Fuel Economy, according to her official NHTSA bio.

In other U.S. DOT personnel news, General Counsel Steven Bradbury has been named acting deputy secretary of the agency in addition to his current duties, effective immediately. Additionally, Christina Aizcorbe, the senior counselor for regulatory reform, has been named deputy general counsel of the U.S. DOT.

More Safety

An orange and white graphic with the cover of HopSkipDrive's 2025 Safety Report and text reading "Seventh Annual Safety Report."
Safetyby StaffMarch 18, 2026

What’s Behind HopSkipDrive’s Near-Perfect Safety Record in 2025?

The alternative transportation provider’s 2025 Safety Report highlights 99.7% incident-free rides, 130 million safe miles, and more.

Read More →
Buyers Guide and Directory thumbnail
SponsoredMarch 13, 2026

2026 School Bus Fleet Vendor Directory & Buyer's Guide

Searching for the right equipment, technology, or services for your school transportation program? This industry guide brings together manufacturers and suppliers across the entire school bus market, all in one place. Download it to find the partners who can help move your operation forward.

Read More →
Portrait of Michael C. Hout, Ph.D., assistant dean and psychology professor at New Mexico State University, featured in a Child Safety Network leadership announcement graphic.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseMarch 6, 2026

Child Safety Network Taps Dr. Michael C. Hout to Combat School Bus Stop-Arm Runners

Child Safety Network appointed psychology researcher Michael C. Hout, Ph.D., to lead a study examining why drivers illegally pass stopped school buses.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
The 5th-generation Waymo Driver on the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE.
Safetyby StaffMarch 5, 2026

NTSB Determines Human Error Led to Waymo’s Illegal School Bus Passing

Investigators reported a remote assistance error allowed a Waymo driverless vehicle to illegally pass a stopped school bus in Austin.

Read More →
The side of a school bus with a retracted stop signal.
Safetyby Elora HaynesMarch 4, 2026

National Action Plan Aims to End Illegal School Bus Passings Across the U.S.

See how a new 50-state roadmap outlines 69 strategies for districts, law enforcement, and policymakers to reduce the 39 million illegal school bus passings reported each year.

Read More →
A school bus graphic with text reading "Iowa Student Killed, 14 Injured in Oklahoma Bus Crash."
Safetyby StaffMarch 3, 2026

11-Year-Old Student Dies After Falling Under School Bus

Recently, an Iowa student died after falling under a school bus, while 14 Oklahoma students were injured days later when a semi-truck rear-ended their bus.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
school bus driver
SponsoredMarch 2, 2026

7 Key Criteria for Choosing a School Bus Fleet Technology Partner

Selecting a fleet technology partner can be complex, especially with evolving operational demands and limited resources. This white paper outlines seven key criteria to help school transportation leaders evaluate options and align technology with their needs. It offers a practical framework to support more informed decision-making.

Read More →
Graphic of a yellow school bus above the headline “The Real Cost of Downtime,” with icons illustrating overtime costs, frustrated parents and administrators, repair expenses, and route delays, emphasizing the operational and financial impact of communication failures in school transportation fleets.
SponsoredMarch 2, 2026

The Real Cost of Bus Fleet Downtime

When school bus communication systems fail, the consequences extend far beyond equipment repairs. Downtime can increase safety risks, strain dispatch operations, and erode driver confidence. Explore how proactive radio lifecycle management and managed services are reducing disruptions, supporting driver retention, and delivering predictable budgeting for school transportation fleets.

Read More →
Graphic showing the EverDriven logo and “SafeOps Council Launches” text over an image of a vehicle driving on a curved road, with School Bus Fleet branding in the corner.
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseFebruary 25, 2026

EverDriven Launches New Council to Standardize Safety Across 36 States

EverDriven has launched a new safety council aimed at standardizing and strengthening student transportation practices across all states it operates in.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
a photo of a school bus driving down a suburban street with houses in the background and green grass pictured
Safetyby News/Media ReleaseFebruary 23, 2026

Thomas Built Buses Awards “If You Pass” Safety Campaign Funds to Ga. District

The OEM's three-week campaign during National School Bus Safety Week has awarded nearly $6,000 to Bryan County Schools to support increasing student safety around the bus.

Read More →