Meera Joshi Creates History, Becomes First Indian-American Deputy Mayor of Operations in NYC

Joshi was also Inspector General for New York City’s Department of Corrections and the First Deputy Executive Director of New York City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board.

FREMONT, CA: Indian-American attorney Meera Joshi to create history as she is set to become the first Indian-American Deputy Mayor of Operations in New York City. With a longstanding experience and reputation in government oversight agencies, spanning over sixteen years, Joshi is one of the two deputy mayors of Asian descent in the mayor-elect Eric Adam’s administration. She has previously served as the CEO and chair of the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission for the last five years. In the press conference held by the department, Adams announced that Meera Joshi would ensure that NYC responds in real-time to fulfill and exceed the needs of every community and be a model of excellence in urban centers. Joshi responded to this saying that under his leadership, the institution has the opportunity to improve the lives of every New Yorker and their family.

On the first day of his administration, President Joe Biden had appointed Joshi as the Deputy Administrator and senior official of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Chris Spear, President of American Trucking Associations, welcomed Meera Joshi, highlighting that she has led FMCSA through historic times such as a global pandemic, natural disasters, cyberattacks, and more. He reiterated that Joshi has been extremely collaborative and supportive during her tenure and has used data and stakeholder inputs to drive sound policy processes designed to fulfill real-life needs.

Previous Responsibilities and Achievements

In her previous role as head of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, which is the country’s largest for-hire transportation regulator, Joshi successfully spearheaded the Vision Zero campaign, aimed at keeping high-risk drivers and unsafe vehicles off the roads. Joshi also led the landmark policy of establishing robust and open transportation data standards for app-based drivers. This was the United State’s first for-hire driver pay protection program and provided broad access to for-hire transportation for passengers using wheelchairs.

Joshi was also Inspector General for New York City’s Department of Corrections and the First Deputy Executive Director of New York City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board. She has also held the position of General Manager for the New York Office of Sam Schwartz Transportation Consultants and was a visiting scholar at the NewYork University’s Rudin Center for Transportation Policy.