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About the ResearcherMy name is Chris Ferrell and I am a graduate student at the University of North Texas. I am pursuing a Master’s Degree in Applied Anthropology with a focus on business anthropology. Recently, I began working at Transplace; a North American Third-Party Logistics and technology company located in Frisco, Texas. I am a former long-haul truck driver and driver trainer. While with Stevens Transport I logged nearly 500,000 safe miles from 2005-2009. I was a contributing member of the ATA and a member of the Stevens Transport President’s Club. I have since completed my BA in Anthropology at UNT with the benefit of the GI Bill earned during my service in the United States Marine Corps from 1998-2002. 

While on active duty, I served as a logistics clerk for HQ Battalion 2nd Marine Division from 1998-2001. I also served as the Maintenance Chief for 3/6 as part of the 26th MEU while deployed to the Middle East from 2001-2002. While assigned to these posts, I was responsible for parts requisitions and reporting in order to maintain a high equipment readiness rating for all major end items. In order to better leverage available information, I created a reporting database with Microsoft Access that interfaced with an SQL maintenance system which resulted in expedited turnaround times for maintenance and repair issues across the entire 2nd Marine Division. I exported the database and reporting system throughout Camp Lejeune and trained relevant personnel across all lower maintenance battalions. The overall result was faster and simplified reporting and an average equipment readiness rating of 98%. In 2001 I was awarded the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal for my efforts.

 

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During my first year of graduate study at UNT, I contributed ethnographic field methods knowledge to a start-up project for Grow North Texas. The project aimed to address the needs and concerns of independent farmers and agriculturalists in the North Texas region with the goal of improving networks and communication between all participants for improved food production and distribution in the region

Since starting work at Transplace, I have been able to augment my own knowledge of the transportation industry, gain access to information from proven industry research firms and made contact with top logistics professionals who have offered their guidance and expertise on this research proposal. I a results-oriented self-starter and hope to apply my training and experience toward improving driver retention at your Motor Carrier.

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