MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R), a leader in commercial fleet management, dedicated transportation, and supply chain solutions, today announced that the 2017 Top Technician (Top Tech) title and $50,000 cash prize have been awarded to Robert Gonzalez. The Ryder Top Tech Recognition Program for North America, designed to identify, recognize, and reward Ryder’s top performing truck maintenance technicians, hosted its competition final at the Omni Nashville Hotel and the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn.

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The 2017 Ryder Top Tech winner Robert Gonzalez holding his $50,000 check alongside his wife Suzanne; President of Global Fleet Management Solutions Dennis Cooke; Vice President of Maintenance & Engineering/Top Tech Chair Bill Dawson; Senior Vice President & Global Chief of Operations Tom Havens; and Chairman & CEO Robert Sanchez. (Photo: Business Wire)

“This year, more than 1,800 of Ryder’s 5,900 maintenance technicians from throughout North America and the United Kingdom competed regionally to make it to the finals of our Top Tech competition,” said Robert Sanchez, Ryder Chairman and CEO. “Congratulations to Robert Gonzalez for earning this year’s Top Tech honor. The dedication Robert has shown to his craft is inspiring, and it demonstrates why our customers trust Ryder to provide unparalleled customer service and vehicle uptime they can rely on. Our technicians’ hunger to keep learning, coupled with their willingness to help others, is truly impressive and to be admired.”

After advancing through three increasingly demanding rounds of challenging written and hands-on tests, six finalists, including Mr. Gonzalez, competed for the top honors in the final competition:

• Christopher Barnett of Kentucky,
• Ken Bilyea of Canada,
• Rick Grivel of Arizona,
• Rick Morra of California, and
• Wyatt Stafford of Maine.

The Top Tech finalists went head to head in a series of 10 rigorous hands-on skill tests, including vehicle electronics, preventive maintenance, and air conditioning. Each station test and the overall week-long event were made possible with the sponsor support of numerous suppliers. Ryder’s techs are trained to perform maintenance and repairs on a variety of vehicle brands and configurations, which enables the Company to provide the greatest level of flexibility and uptime in the industry.

In addition to a $10,000 cash prize, each finalist, along with their guests, was treated to a week’s worth of fun, entertainment, and dining in the heart of Music City. They embarked on tours of the city and visited numerous notable locations, including the Jack Daniels Distillery and Bluebird Café.

This was the first year that Ryder U.K. held a Top Tech Competition of its own, so the 2017 Ryder U.K. winner Shaun Dixon was also invited to attend this year’s North America event, along with Ryder U.K.’s “Best in Class” apprentice Byron Hammond. Byron recently completed the Company’s U.K. apprenticeship program, in which diesel technicians in training shadow a seasoned Ryder technician at various Ryder shop locations in the U.K. while attending college over a three-year period.

“Top Tech continues to serve as a valuable tool in developing the best technicians in the industry,” said Dennis Cooke, President of Global Fleet Management Solutions, Ryder. “We are extremely proud of the program and all that it has accomplished over the years.”

Ryder’s annual Top Technician Recognition Program highlights the value Ryder places on its technicians, the importance of technical training for ensuring the quality maintenance of approximately 234,100 total vehicles, and a commitment to quality customer service for Ryder’s lease and maintenance customers. Eligible participants for the award were selected from Ryder’s team of 5,900 U.S. and Canadian-based technicians and were measured on technical training qualifications, outstanding customer service performance, and quality workmanship.

To search for available technician positions in your area, click here.

Highlights of the week-long event can be found on Ryder’s Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages. For event photos, email [email protected].

About Ryder

Ryder is a FORTUNE 500® commercial fleet management, dedicated transportation, and supply chain solutions company. Ryder’s stock (NYSE:R) is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the S&P MidCap 400® 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 and social media pages: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, 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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