Marv Bennett, HTrans Fleet Manager

Marv Bennett started in October 2017 as the Fleet Manager for HTrans, after a 4½ year stint with Sysco as Transportation Supervisor. Prior to Sysco he had been everything from a driver and dispatcher to a terminal manager with over 30 years in the transportation field. As Fleet Manager, Marv’s primary job entails working with the drivers: hiring, training, safety, EROAD electronic logs, accidents/incidents reporting and review. “We’re always looking to improve from one day to the next” says Marv.

“I like the family atmosphere in which everyone works together, and I especially like the challenges that I find looking at HTrans and Houston’s through “fresh eyes” or a new perspective. When I come across something, I like to improve it.”

Last summer, Marv spent a week in New Orleans where he attended a course called “License to Lift,” at the Industrial Safety and Rehabilitation Institute. The course specialized in the anatomy of the human back and proper lifting techniques. “Since the course was in New Orleans the locals planned time to show us around. And boy did they – Bourbon Street, the French Quarter, and fine dining on real Cajun food. While we were there, we took a 2 ½ hour drive to eat BBQ at the famous ‘The Shed’ BBQ in Mississippi. As you can tell I’m a bit of a ‘foody.’ It was a great experience and I’d like to go again.”

Speaking of food, Marv likes to barbecue, and has competed for the last 5 years with the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association. He is also a certified barbecue judge and has been the head judge for the annual Fourth of July BBQ contest in Dallas, where he lives.

Marv likes to take his travel trailer and camp along the Oregon Coast with his wife, Kerri. South Beach, near Newport, is their favorite camp ground, as it’s where the crabbing is usually pretty good. They are joined most of the time by their three kids and their families- including 5 grandchildren. It’s a great opportunity to barbecue, play horse shoes, and just relax with family around the campfire.

Marv has never been to Disneyland and will be making his first trip there this summer with Kerri, and his son Kris’ family. Marv is excited to finally earn his mouse ears!

While Marv likes all kinds of music and can’t seem to stick to any one genre for long, his favorite artist is Jimmy Buffett. After seeing Jimmy’s show 5 times, Marv figures that makes him an official parrot head. For Marv, there is also nothing better to read than a new BBQ cookbook from his all-time favorite BBQ champion Myron Mixon.

Be sure to say hello next time you see Marv, and ask about his most recent barbecue competition, or recent recipes. We’re all dying to try out a sampling of Marv’s barbecuing handiwork!

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Houston’s trucks now equipped with satellite tracking system.

One of the greatest features the installation of the system has given us is the ability to provide more accurate ETAs for customers.  We understand the importance of knowing when a business can expect its shipment, and EROAD allows our customer service team to pinpoint the exact location of each of our trucks in order to provide an expected time for the truck’s arrival.  Shipment status used to be limited to a handful of reports that the driver might make periodically throughout the trip, causing it to be difficult to accurately fill in the gaps.  Now, having the technology to obtain a truck’s GPS coordinates and current speed in live time make it a much more up to date process.

Safety is an important benefit as well.  With the means to better monitor driver hours, we can more easily prevent any potential accidents resulting from fatigue or other conditions.  Messages can be sent to drivers as well for easy communication that can only be read when the vehicle is stopped, reducing unnecessary distractions.  For the safety of our drivers as well as doing what we can to make sure product gets delivered to customers on time, our new satellite tracking system is a great step.

Among other benefits of the system, drivers have the ability to be notified of any delays or heavy traffic along their routes, in addition to having a helpful aid when navigating new routes.  It also makes mandatory driver logs easier since electronic driver logs are quicker and more accurate than traditional log books.  Overall, the system allows us to work with a much more streamline process reducing time and resources needed to successfully make deliveries.  With better safety, efficiency, and accuracy, we are excited to put our tracking system to good use.  Look for us on the road!

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