Mara Transport, Inc., a family owned trucking company, is located in central rural Iowa. Owner and operator, Ray Willits, is the very proud father of 3 grown sons. His oldest son, Aaron, is a registered nurse, living in Modesto, CA. Mark, his middle son, is a C-2 quadriplegic who earned his law degree from UCLA. Mark and his wife live in Scottsdale Arizona and are the proud parents of a little girl. Ray's youngest son David, is a business entrepreneur who lives with his wife in Naperville IL. David is in the process of transitioning into the position of General Manager for Mara as Ray will likely retire soon.
Ray was raised on a farm in Bangor, Iowa. As a way to keep the cash flow going and stay busy during down time, Ray bought a semi and started hauling grain. It didn't take long for Ray to buy a couple more semis and lease on with Mayflower Moving Company. Ray and his small fleet of trucks continued to haul for Mayflower until December of 1997. That's when he obtained his own authority and formed Mara Transport, Inc.
Today Mara has 20 trucks, 30 trailers and 3 owner-operators. We have 4 full time office personnel. We have a shop onsite to handle truck maintenance and repairs. During the summer months Ray hires a couple of high school or college students to work on site, something he has done for several years. Not only does it help the students earn money, it is Ray's way of giving back to the community he grew up in and loves passionately.
No one knows what the future of transportation will be like, but I can assure you this, Mara Transport will be a part of it. We will continue to serve the American people by doing our part to transport goods across this great nation and Canada. The next time you make a purchase, whether it be a car, a piece of furniture, a computer, a child’s toy, or maybe a loaf of bread and a bag of chips, think about how that product arrived there. With the help of semis and the transportation business, goods are made available to you everyday!
judy clark