Every year, the Transportation Committee evolves to meet the growing needs of a demanding organization. Currently in its ninth year, the group runs like a well-tuned pickup truck. "The committee started off blindly," Chairman Curtis Renfrow said. "We weren't sure exactly what all of our responsibilities would include. We have definitely grown through the years with added responsibilities, as well as with additional committee members." The Transportation Committee, originally referred to as "VIP Transportation," has two main functions. First, the committee receives and inventories all of the vehicles donated to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. "We start exactly two weeks before the Show begins, checking in and dispersing all of the trucks," Renfrow said. "These trucks are brand-new when we get them, and they are an important part of the rodeo operations. Different groups request vehicles, and we decide how all of the requests are handled. Every year we get more people needing more vehicles," he said. Additionally, the committee shuttles groups to various scheduled events. Corporate sponsors, international visitors and dignitaries rely on it to provide efficient transportation on a tight schedule. Whether it is an airport pickup or a shuttle from the Astroarena to the Astrodome, the Transportation Committee is required to perform punctually and efficiently. "Each night we have to move a large number of people in short order," vice president and officer in charge Red Griffin said. "There's definitely a speed factor involved. We have a vast area to cover every night."
However, the Transportation Committee does not handle the movement of rodeo performers. In order to prevent confusion, the committee dropped "VIP" from its title. "For a long time people thought we picked up the stars, but that's a whole different group," Renfrow explained. "That's not to say we don't deal with important people. We are constantly transporting buyers and corporate sponsors. We still provide 'VIP' service, even though that word is no longer a part of our title." Starting with 39 members in 1990, the committee has more than doubled in size. More demand for vehicles has created a need for a larger committee to help control the inventory and distribution. Renfrow, the Transportation Committee's third chairman, has witnessed the constant changes from the beginning. "My wife used to disperse vehicles as an administrative assistant in the general manager's office," Renfrow said. "Now, it takes an entire committee to run the operation effectively, because the Show has grown so much." Each committee member is required to work five eight-hour shifts during the Show's 30 days of activity. The group also meets twice during the year to organize and to prepare for the season. "We only require 40 hours, but typically a committeeman will contribute much more than that," Griffin said. "Of course, as the Show grows, we'll need additional personnel. We want to be able to handle all of the current obligations and be ready to do more if it's necessary." The Transportation Committee will continue to control the heavy flow of transportation requests and grow at the same pace as the Show. "Every year is definitely a challenge! More and more people need to get to more places on a schedule," Renfrow said. "But we have a dedicated committee with a lot of road to cover!" Without a doubt, the Transportation Committee is "ride on!" |
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