Marvin Hinton served as President of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), South Florida Chapter from 1993 to 1995. One of his most noted accomplishments was hosting a Community Outreach Project (COME-OUT) which was a pilot program sponsored through a grant funded by the Federal Transit Administration. The focus of the project was to improve public involvement in the transportation planning process. He is also proud of the successful Scholarship & Awards Banquet. Which served to honor several distinguished public servants and provided scholarships to two Florida Memorial students. In January 1995, the chapter hosted a COMTO National Board meeting and workshop.

One of his greatest challenges as President was communicating within the organization to dispel myths. Mr. Hinton’s efforts were to inform and involve all minorities throughout the agency and to encourage them to take advantage of opportunities offered through COMTO nationally. Attributable to his efforts, a child of a Miami Chapter member was awarded a national scholarship for the first time in the chapter’s history.

Mr. Hinton feels that minorities in the transportation industry are already on the right track with regards to the realization of their goals. He further states that minorities should continue to make the public aware of transit-related causes and take stands on issues affecting them in the transportation field. He points out that it is evident minorities have not gained their rightful share in the transportation industry by the obvious lace of representation at the top levels of management.

Mr. Hinton was inspired by local members Claudette Hinton, Ruby Hemingway-Adams, Amelia Stringer-Gowdy, Patrice Rosemond and Hannie L. Woodson, Jr.