History
With a $35 down payment on a Model A Ford truck, Ryder began its business hauling concrete back in 1933. In 1938, a Miami beverage distributor agreed to lease five trucks, launching Ryder's full-service leasing business. From those beginnings, Ryder has evolved into one of the world's leading suppliers of supply chain and transportation management solutions with nearly $5 billion in annual revenue.
Throughout Ryder's more than 75-year history there have been many important events that have shaped the success of the organization. Presented below is a chronicle of some of those historical occurrences.
1930s - The Beginning ^ top
1933
Company founded by James A. Ryder in Miami, Florida. The first Ryder Truck was a black, 1931 Model "A" Ford.
1934
A second truck, a 1934 Ford V-8, doubled the size of the fleet.
1937
Fleet expanded to 15 trucks.
1938
Champagne Velvet Beer business became the first Ryder lease account.
1939
Fleet expanded to 50 trucks.
1940s - Growth in a Time of Turmoil^ top
1941
Hauled supplies for the U.S. government during World War II.
1942
Revenue topped $100,000 for the year.
1945
Started dedicated contract carriage for The Miami Herald, a relationship that continues today.
1949
Expanded operations to five branches and 450 trucks.
Created "captive shops" at customer locations and opened a network of service locations that pioneered the practice of preventive maintenance.
Revenue from truck leasing and rental activities topped $1 million.
1950s - The Big R^ top
1952
Became nationally recognized with the acquisition of Great Southern Trucking.
Moved headquarters to Jacksonville, Fla.
1955
Incorporated and became Ryder System, Inc.
Became a publicly-traded company with the issue of 160,000 shares of common stock over-the-counter at $10 per share.
1957
Headquarters returned to Miami.
Began international operations, offering truck leasing and rental in Canada.
1959
Featured on the cover of BusinessWeek and recognized as a leader in transportation.
1960s - Establishing Our Brand^ top
1960
Stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
1965
Sold Ryder Truck Lines.
1967
Introduced Ryder Programmed Maintenance nationally.
1968
Entered the auto transport business by acquiring M & G Convoy.
Launched One Way "Yellow" Consumer Truck Rental offering.
1970s - Fueling Growth^ top
1970
Entered insurance industry with the acquisition of Southern Underwriters, a managing general insurance agency.
1971
Acquired a chain of six Truckstops of America.
Entered United Kingdom market, offering truck leasing and rental.
1973
Moved headquarters to Doral, Fla., in Miami-Dade County.
1977
Entered The Netherlands market, offering truck leasing.
1978
James A. Ryder, founder and chairman, retired.
Leslie O. Barnes named President and Chief Executive Officer, elected Chairman of the Board.
Corporate revenue surpassed the $1 billion mark.
1979
M. Anthony Burns elected President and Chief Operating Officer.
More than 13,000 “One-Way” Ryder rental trucks kept America moving.
1980s – New Horizons^ top
1982
Entered aviation business with acquisition of Aviation Sales Company.
1983
M. Anthony Burns became Chief Executive Officer.
1984
Sold Truckstops of America.
1985
Leslie O. Barnes retired as Chairman of the Board.
M. Anthony Burns elected Chairman of the Board in addition to duties as President and Chief Executive Officer.
Ryder entered school bus business with acquisition of Rustman Bus Co.
1986
Entered public transportation management with the acquisition of ATE Management and Service Company.
1988
Entered German market offering truck leasing.
Expanded automotive transportation operations to Canada.
1990s – Sharpening Our Focus^ top
1992
Formally established International Operations business unit.
1993
Began operations in Poland.
Spun off aviation subsidiaries.
1994
Began operations in Mexico.
Began Logistics Management with acquisition of LogiCorp.
1995
Began operations in Argentina and Brazil.
Named to FORTUNE magazine’s listing of the 500 largest public companies in the U.S.
1996
Sold One Way Consumer "Yellow" Truck Rental division.
Rebranded fleet to white with new red and black logo to focus on commercial customers.
1997
Sold Automotive Carrier division.
Named most admired highway transportation company by FORTUNE magazine.
1998
Again named highway transportation company by FORTUNE.
Named best large Florida company for women to work for by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.
Named one of America's best companies for African-Americans, Asians and Hispanics by FORTUNE.
Named one of the 50 best workplaces for Hispanic women by Latina Style.
1999
Opened the nation's first Charter School in the workplace.
Sold Ryder Public Transportation Services.
Hired Gregory T. Swienton as President and COO.
Named one of the 100 best workplaces for Hispanics by Hispanic magazine for the eighth consecutive year.
Again named one of the 50 best workplaces for Hispanic women by Latina Style.
Formally established an e-Commerce Group.
2000s – The New Millennium^ top
2000
Created Company-wide Asset Management Group.
Launched used vehicle sales web site -- usedtrucks.ryder.com.
Launched e-Channel Solutions, an Internet-based end-to-end fulfillment solution.
Launched RyderFleetProducts.com, a web site providing resources for planning, ordering and delivery of fuel, lubricants and a wide range of parts and equipment.
Named top Third-Party Logistics provider, for the third consecutive year, by Inbound Logistics magazine.
M. Anthony Burns retired as CEO, retaining role as Chairman of the Board.
Gregory T. Swienton named President and CEO.
2001
Launched Asia-Pacific headquarters with acquisition of Singapore-based Ascent Logistics Pte Ltd.
2002
M. Anthony Burns retired as Chairman of the Board.
Gregory T. Swienton named to Chairman of the Board, retaining roles as President and Chief Executive Officer.
Settled trademark infringement lawsuit with Budget Group, Inc.
2003
Named one of the 100 best workplaces for Hispanics by Hispanic magazine for the tenth year.
Acquired General Car and Truck Leasing and announced LOI to purchase RUAN.
2004
Finalized acquisition of Ruan Leasing Company.
Launched www.RyderSafetyServices.com site – an industry resource for safety products and services.
Earned U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection anti-terrorism certifications (C-TPAT) and (FAST).
Closed the sale of our 405,000-square-foot corporate headquarters at 3600 NW 82nd Avenue in Doral, Fla.
2005
Acquired N.Y.-based 4 G’s Truck Renting Co.
Celebrated the opening of the Company’s smaller and more efficient New Global Headquarters.
Began operations in third South American market, Chile.
2006
Celebrated 50 years as a publicly traded company.
Celebrated 35 years of operating in the United Kingdom.
Celebrated half-century mark as an international company with 50th anniversary of operating in Canada.
2007
Announced acquisition of Pollock NationaLease in Canada.
Announced the launch of RydeGreen™ line of tractors and trailers, designed to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
2008
Celebrated 75th anniversary.
Acquired Lily Truck Leasing in Northeast U.S.
Acquired Florida-based Gator Leasing.
Acquired Pennsylvania-based Gordon Truck Leasing.
Acquired Transpacific Container Terminal Ltd. (TCTL) and CRSA Logistics Ltd. (CRSA) in Canada, as well as CRSA Logistics operations in Hong Kong and Shanghai, China.
Launched RydeGreenSM Hybrid straight truck line, available for order by Ryder lease customers.
Announced strategic focus on the Company’s service offering in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and Asia. Discontinued SCS operations in South America and Europe.
2009
Acquired Connecticut-based Edart Leasing.
Published first Corporate Social Responsibility report, highlighting the Company’s contributions in driving environmental leadership, ensuring safe and secure transportation, supporting employees and their communities, and advancing world-class governance, ethics, and compliance.
Announced $1 million donation to the American Red Cross, to be disbursed over a three-year period.
Certified as a Third Party Logistics Provider (3PL) in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) for logistics operations in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Ranked number one for security practices in the Transportation, Logistics, Supply Chain, and Warehousing industry sector by The 2009 Security Benchmarking Survey, published in Security Magazine.
2010
Announced joint venture with Cargo Services Far East Limited (CSFE), an Asia-based logistics solutions provider specializing in export consolidation services, to offer retailers source-to-store logistics capabilities between Asia and North America.
Announced grand opening of retail Used Vehicle Center in Greater Toronto, offering one of the largest used truck inventories in North America.
Launched multilingual used vehicle sales websites.
Announced first ever natural gas vehicle program to be deployed in a commercial truck rental and leasing operation.
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