TORRANCE, CA – Government Fleet magazine has named Charles Davenport as the Technician of the Month for July, 2012. Davenport is employed as a maintenance technician IV with the City of Roanoke, Va.,’s Fleet Management Department and has more than 30 years of experience. He is ASE certified, and has spent the last seven years with the City.

Davenport works on a wide variety of heavy automotive and specialized equipment, such as diesel or gasoline engine equipment, air compressors, fire pump apparatus and aerial truck hydraulic systems. He also overhauls, services, and fabricates assemblies and accessories for City vehicles and equipment, including single and two speed rear axles, multi-speed transmissions, and hydraulic compressed air, vacuum and electric controls, systems and components.

One of the cost-saving measures that Davenport helped to implement was to help the City avoid having to replace a had a gasoline powered jump starter, which costs $10,000 new, with one Davenport constructed for only $1,500. His goal was not only to build a cost-effective replacement but to make it completely safe for the fleet department’s staff to use. Davenport worked with his Supervisor Dave Champagne to draw up plans for the system and figure out what components they needed to build the device. The new jump starter is battery powered and recharges from the service truck it is mounted to, which mitigates the need for the truck to idle when jump-starting another vehicle.

Having worked as a heavy diesel truck mechanic for Kroger for a number of years, Davenport retired and then found work with the City.

“With the changes we have implemented with our Fleet Division, it has changed the culture, morale, and mindset of all our fleet technicians,” Hammond said. “With that being said, Mr. Davenport has stayed well beyond his original intentions.”

Originally, Davenport had only intended to work until he was eligible for social security, but after finding he enjoyed the work, he decided to stay.

“It has been great to work at a place where employees can have input and use their skills to make the City a better place to live and work,” Davenport said about his time with the City.

Fleet managers interested in nominating a staff technician for this recognition program can sign up for Fleet Toolbox (for free) here and then submit a nomination via the form on the Technician of the Month submissions page once logged into Fleet Toolbox. You can also read more about the Technician of the Month program here.

Our first Technician of the Month was Josh Gerkin, with the City of Tucson, Ariz.