Editorial: In Praise of Secretary Mineta

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e’re pleased that President Bush last week asked Norman Mineta to remain as secretary of transportation, as the president prepared for his second term in office. And we’re delighted that Mineta has accepted.

Secretary Mineta was well versed in transportation issues when he arrived at the Department of Transportation, courtesy of his long tenure on Capitol Hill, and his experience has served him well.

Now that he is staying, we’re expecting the process to restructure the new driver hours-of-service rules — to comply with the federal court’s directives — will go smoothly. The major overhaul of the rules occurred on Mineta’s watch, and he has shown such an understanding of trucking issues that we’re sure he’ll help guide DOT to make decisions that will enhance our industry’s ability to provide the level of service North American consumers have come to expect.

We’re also counting on Mineta to finally get a highway-spending bill through Congress after months and months of haggling among the House, the Senate and the White House. Temporary funding extensions are not the way to conduct a national transportation policy; we need to have an approved vision, backed by a rational spending plan, to allow the nation to expand its transportation infrastructure where appropriate, and to maintain the excellent system already in place.

And with Mineta returning, we may finally get the border between the United States and Mexico open to trucks from each country, many years after the two nations agreed to do so as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

As Bill Graves, president of American Trucking Associations, said last week, “Secretary Mineta has done an outstanding job and his continued leadership will bring consistency to the president’s transportation agenda.”

Had the president chosen to replace Mineta, or had the secretary declined reappointment, we would have faced months of putting the new team in place and waiting for the new leadership to get up to speed on the major issues facing transportation.

“I think to have continuity and to know the same people are going to be there, that’s a big plus,” said Stephen Campbell, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

Welcome back, Secretary Mineta; we’re anxious to work with you to make President Bush’s second term even better than the first.

This story appeared in the Dec. 13 edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.