Ryder Marks Veterans Day with Nearly 4,500 Military Veteran Hires Since 2011

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Ryder System, Inc. R, a leader in commercial fleet management, dedicated transportation, and supply chain solutions, today announced the results of its military recruiting program, launched five years ago, which continues to have a positive impact on both the veteran population and the transportation and logistics industry. Since joining the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes program in November 2011, Ryder has hired 4,480 veterans and increased the percentage of veterans among its U.S. workforce to more than 10 percent. In addition, Ryder has engaged in numerous veteran hiring initiatives designed to help ease the transition from military to civilian life. As part of its Chamber involvement, Ryder is a FASTPORT partner and member of the Veterans Employment Advisory Council. For three consecutive years, since 2013, the Company has been named one of CivilianJobs.com's Most Valuable Employers for Military.

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"On behalf of Ryder, I'd like to thank and salute all our veterans for their service and sacrifice; we are forever indebted to you," said Robert Sanchez, Chairman and CEO, Ryder. "Investing in our military veteran community across the country is not only the right thing to do, but it also makes good business sense. Our veterans possess distinct skills learned through military service that can be easily translated to jobs at Ryder. Their ability to follow through on commitments and their inherent integrity and discipline are characteristics that are vital to delivering on our promises to customers. Simultaneously, we're able to expand the talent pool at a time when drivers and technicians are needed to support the growth of our business."

In August, Ryder renewed its commitment to the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve at a signing ceremony held at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Tex. Additionally, last month, Ryder graduated its first class of veteran diesel technician students, who successfully completed Ryder's 12-week program in partnership with Soldier for Life – Transition Assistance Program. The six graduates, military veterans who began the program within 180 days of separation, were provided hands-on diesel technician training at Fort Sill and at a Ryder maintenance shop in Oklahoma City. Upon completion of the program, they were placed in eligible open technician positions at Ryder locations across the country. The program's second class, consisting of five students, was just recently launched on October 24.

Earlier this year, Ryder donated $30,000, specifically earmarked to give female veterans priority to Veterans at Work: Military Transition Fund awards. The program is a vocational/technical-focused initiative created by TechForce Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides scholarships and grants to help veterans obtain the technical education needed to transition their skills into careers at home in the transportation industry. This donation provides short-term funds to help veterans bridge the gap between the time it takes for them to start their technical education and for their veterans benefits to take effect. This funding enables veterans to get settled, start school, find a part-time job, and get on their feet without having to worry about the cash flow dilemma.

Ryder has also established its own Women Veterans Task Force, an eight-member panel consisting of female military veterans in managerial or supervisorial roles at Ryder, who collaborate regularly to discuss different strategies for recruiting more female veterans to the industry. The Ryder Women Veterans Task Force was formed out of a desire and need to engage female leadership regarding female military veterans. These women, who are veterans themselves, are brand ambassadors, serving as positive voices in the veteran community. This past summer, the panel of eight attended Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Virginia, where they partook in a roundtable and exchanged ideas regarding effective ways of reaching female veterans through different community outreach initiatives.

At Ryder, retaining great talent is equally as important as recruiting it. The Company invests in making sure its military veteran new hires feel at ease on the job from day one. Ryder makes this possible through its Veteran Buddy program, which pairs veteran new hires with a Ryder military veteran "buddy," who is available to help them assimilate to their new work environment.

One of the Company's most recently launched military recruiting initiatives is its partnership with United Way Mission United (Mission United) – United Way of Miami-Dade's newest program that connects veterans with essential services and employment opportunities so they can re-acclimate to civilian life. The program was launched in Miami-Dade County this July and is a source of support for 62,000 Miami-Dade locals, with a focus on post-9/11 veterans and their immediate families.

Ryder's Group Director of Recruiting Services, Patrick Pendergast, is the Chair of Mission United's Employment Committee, which helps connect veterans with essential services and employment opportunities. The group helps transitioning veterans with employment preparation, including resume and interview skill building, as well as legal and financial counseling. A portion of the funds raised by Ryder's 2016 United Way campaign in September went toward this cause. Ryder also recently sponsored United Way's annual "Let's Do Lunch" series, which connects United Way Women's Leadership members with top female executives and visionaries in the community. Women's Leadership members each give $1,000 or more annually in support of United Way of Miami-Dade.

Veterans interested in a career in transportation can visit Ryder's military hiring landing page, www.ryder.com/military, where they can match their skills with open positions at Ryder.

About Ryder

Ryder is a FORTUNE 500® commercial fleet management, dedicated transportation, and supply chain solutions company. Ryder's stock R is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. Ryder has been named among FORTUNE's World's Most Admired Companies, and has been recognized for its industry-leading practices in third-party logistics, environmentally-friendly fleet and supply chain solutions, and world-class safety and security programs. The Company is a proud member of the American Red Cross Disaster Responder Program, supporting national and local disaster preparedness and response efforts. For more information, visit www.ryder.com, and follow us on our Online Newsroom, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements and information included in this news release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on our current plans and expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements should be evaluated with consideration given to the many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including those risks set forth in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors or to assess the impact of such risks on our business. Accordingly, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

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