-- Ryder leads the way in addressing industry-wide truck driver
shortage by taking innovative approach to driver
ergonomics --
MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Ryder
System, Inc. (NYSE: R), a leader in commercial
fleet management and supply
chain solutions, today announced that it will offer customers a
female-friendly vehicle package for lease – the first of its kind in the
industry. With the help of various OEMs and Women in Trucking
Association (WIT), a non-profit organization established to encourage
the employment of women in the trucking industry, Ryder is making
available a custom vehicle design, including 15 unique specifications,
to better meet the needs of female drivers. These same ergonomic
specifications will also provide a benefit for many male drivers in the
industry.
The ergonomic vehicles include features such as adjusted height and
placement of cab grab handles, adjustable seatbelt shoulder straps,
improved placement of dash cluster gauges, and better access to oil and
coolant checks and fill ports. Upon customer request, and depending upon
the OEM model of vehicle, Ryder can also include the following options:
-
ergonomically designed seats and adjustable armrest;
-
hood lift/closure assistance mechanism;
-
automated transmissions;
-
5th Wheel configurations with lower pull pressures to open
the locking mechanism;
-
automated 5th wheel locking mechanisms;
-
automatic landing gear operators for trailers; and
-
a cab security system that offers personal protection while a driver
is in his/her sleeper berth.
“Ryder is one of the largest purchasers of heavy duty trucks in North
America and has a great deal of visibility into the needs of the
professional truck driver,” said Steve Schmotzer, Region Fleet Manager,
PACCAR. “There really is no one in a more suitable position to provide
feedback on this issue to manufacturers than Ryder. We are proud to
support this initiative, which is critical to addressing a pressing
industry need.”
Women may be the key to unlocking the driver shortage, which is
currently estimated to be between 20,000 and 25,000 drivers, and
expected to reach 239,000 by 2022. Only five percent of professional
truck drivers in the U.S. are women. Ryder is committed to identifying
truck design gaps and influencing improvements in future vehicle designs
that make driving a more attractive career option for women. For
example, the Company is currently encouraging OEMs to make adjustable
foot pedal height a standard feature in future truck models. This is one
item identified by female truck drivers as an important need according
to a recent survey conducted by Women In Trucking Association.
“This custom truck package is not only more ergonomically friendly to
women, but will also benefit other drivers with the same types of
needs,” said Scott Perry, Vice President of Supply Management and Global
Fuel Products, Ryder. “Our intent is to not only help attract more women
to the industry, but also to make the vehicles easier and safer for a
broader range of drivers to operate. As an industry leader, we feel a
responsibility to leverage our influence and find creative ways to deal
with the professional truck driver shortage.”
"Addressing driver comfort and truck cab design to accommodate the
typically smaller stature of women is one of the issues where Women In
Trucking Association is prompting changes,” said Ellen Voie, President
and CEO, Women In Trucking. “We are so pleased to see Ryder's efforts in
moving these ergonomic challenges into the forefront of the
manufacturers' design changes,” Voie added.
About Ryder
Ryder is a FORTUNE 500® commercial fleet management and supply chain
solutions company. Ryder’s stock (NYSE:R) is a component of the Dow
Jones Transportation Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Inbound
Logistics magazine has recognized Ryder as a top third party
logistics provider and green supply chain partner. In addition, Security
Magazine has named Ryder one of the top companies for security practices
in the transportation, logistics, supply chain, and warehousing sector.
Ryder 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 Facebook,
YouTube,
Twitter,
and on our Online
Newsroom.
About Women In Trucking
Women in Trucking was established to encourage the employment of women
in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize
obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. Membership is
not limited to women, as sixteen percent of its members are men who
support the mission. For more information visit www.WomenInTrucking.org
or call 888-464-9482.
Source: Ryder System, Inc.