WASHINGTON, D.C. — T. Bella Dinh-Zarr recently ended her term as National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member.

Dinh-Zarr had been the 42nd board member and the first Asian-American member of the board in 2015, Eric Weiss, a public affairs officer for the NTSB, told School Bus Fleet. During the first two years of her tenure, Dinh-Zarr served as vice chairman (including a brief period as acting chairman), and fulfilled many key roles, such as chairing highway investigative Board hearings and the NTSB’s Pedestrian Safety Forum and Rear Occupant Protection Workshops.

Dinh-Zarr was also the lead advocate for Most Wanted List issues related to impairment, recorder technology, and occupant protection, according to the NTSB. She plans to continue working in public health and transportation safety, but first plans to spend time volunteering and traveling with her family.
Dinh-Zarr’s term as member of the board ended on Feb. 15.

Dinh-Zarr’s departure leaves a vacancy on the NTSB board, which is composed of up to five members.  There is no current nomination for a board member to replace her, Weiss said.

Members are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate for five-year terms, or remaining portions of terms. The investigative agency had been brought back for a full board of five members for the first time in several years last July with the confirmation of two new members: Bruce Landsberg and Jennifer Homendy.

NTSB investigates major transportation accidents — including those involving school buses — and issues recommendations that are intended to improve safety. The agency does not have regulatory authority.