WASHINGTON - President Obama wants Deborah Hersman to be the next chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

The president announced last month he would nominate Hersman to lead the nations transportation safety investigative agency.

Hersman, a member of the NTSB since June 2004, has served as the boards representative at 15 major accidents, including the August 2008 crash of a chartered bus in Sherman, Texas, the November 2006 school bus crash in Huntsville, Ala., and the April 2005 collision of a school bus with a trash truck in Arlington, Va.

She also chaired the NTSB public hearing in October on the January 2008 motorcoach crash in Victoria, Texas.

She holds a CDL with a school bus endorsement, and is a certified child passenger safety technician.

Before joining the NTSB, Hersman was a senior staff member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

During the five years she served the Senate committee Hersman was responsible for the legislative agenda and policy initiatives affecting surface transportation issues, including economic and safety regulation of buses, trucks, railroads, pipelines and hazardous materials transportation.

The United Motorcoach Association was among the first groups to endorse Hersmans nomination, which requires Senate approval.

"Since her appointment to the NTSB in 2004, she has been a strong advocate of bus and motorcoach safety, and her first-hand knowledge and practical experience will continue to be a great asset to the board," said UMA President and CEO Victor Parra.

"UMA and our members have always put passenger safety first, and we look forward to working with nominee Hersman to continue working towards the common goal of improved bus and motorcoach safety," Parra added.

At UMA Motorcoach Expo 2005 in Las Vegas, UMA honored Hersman for her support of coach industry safety initiatives during her years with Senate commerce committee. She was presented a plaque. (See March 15, 2005 Bus & Motorcoach News.)