Garrett W. Merritt
Director of Transportation Operations, Retail distribution
Columbus, OH · (614) 555 0134 · name@example.com · linkedin.com/in/garrettwmerritt
Key Qualifications
EXPERIENCE
Twenty two years in transportation, six at director level
INDUSTRIES
Retail distribution, private fleet operations, dedicated carriage
SPECIALTIES
Private fleet management, cost per mile, driver retention, network design, safety compliance
SYSTEMS
Oracle Transportation Management, Samsara telematics, McLeod dispatch software, Power BI, Workday
CREDENTIALS
Certified Transportation Professional, National Private Truck Council, commercial driver license class A
EDUCATION
Master of Business Administration, Ohio State University
Results at a Glance
71
Percent by rebuilding
68
Percent a year
$4.3m
Year by converting
Executive Summary
Transportation director running a private fleet of 480 tractors and 1,100 trailers out of six distribution centers, with 620 drivers and a 94 million dollar operating budget. Twenty two years in trucking, from dispatch to the director chair, and measured on cost per mile, fleet utilization, safety incident rate and Department of Transportation compliance.
Signature Achievements
- Reduced cost per mile from 2.41 dollars to 2.06 dollars across a 480 tractor fleet over three years while diesel prices rose.
- Raised fleet utilization from 71 to 86 percent by rebuilding domicile assignments around inbound volume rather than history.
- Cut the preventable accident rate from 1.9 to 0.8 per million miles through camera coaching and a rebuilt hiring standard.
- Brought driver turnover down from 68 to 31 percent a year by moving 140 drivers to scheduled home time.
- Passed two Department of Transportation compliance reviews with satisfactory ratings and no out of service violations on file.
- Saved 4.3 million dollars a year by converting 90 lanes from purchased transportation to private fleet backhaul.
Professional Experience
Director of Transportation Operations
Buckeye Provisions Distribution, Columbus, OH 2020 to present
Private fleet of 480 tractors, 1,100 trailers and 620 drivers serving six distribution centers across the Midwest.
- Own the transportation budget of 94 million dollars and report weekly on cost per mile and service performance.
- Lead six transportation managers, a safety manager and a fleet maintenance manager.
- Set the annual network plan with supply chain, including domicile locations and dedicated carrier mix.
- Hold the fleet to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requirements for hours of service and driver qualification files.
- Negotiate tractor and trailer procurement and the maintenance contracts behind them.
Regional Transportation Manager
Scioto Freight Systems, Dayton, OH 2015 to 2020
Three terminals with 190 drivers moving dry goods across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.
- Managed dispatch, driver staffing and terminal cost performance across the region.
- Cut empty miles by 11 percent through a revised backhaul program with three shippers.
- Introduced electronic logging device coaching that reduced hours of service violations to near zero.
- Represented transportation in labor discussions with the driver workforce at two terminals.
Terminal Manager
Miami Valley Carriers, Springfield, OH 2010 to 2015
Single terminal operation with 70 drivers and a maintenance shop.
- Ran daily dispatch, driver relations and terminal profit and loss performance.
- Built the safety meeting program that cut cargo claims by a third.
Fleet Dispatcher
Hocking Hills Transport, Lancaster, OH 2004 to 2010
Dispatch desk covering 40 drivers on regional dry van routes.
- Planned daily loads, driver assignments and hours of service availability.
- Handled breakdowns, reloads and customer notifications through the shift.
Licensure and Certification
Certified Transportation Professional, National Private Truck Council
Ohio commercial driver license, class A
Smith System defensive driving instructor certification
Education
Master of Business Administration, Ohio State University
Bachelor of Science in transportation and logistics, University of Toledo
Core Skills
Private fleet management · Cost per mile control · Fleet utilization · Driver retention · Department of Transportation compliance · Network design · Safety program leadership · Capital and lease decisions · Carrier negotiation · Budget ownership · Team development