Ryder Recognized as 2026 VETS Indexes 3 Star Employer for Commitment to Veterans
Ryder System, Inc. has earned recognition as a 2026 VETS Indexes 3 Star Employer, highlighting the company’s sustained commitment to supporting military veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military families through targeted employment and workforce development initiatives. The recognition marks another milestone in Ryder’s veteran hiring efforts and reflects the company’s broader focus on building opportunities for service members transitioning into civilian careers.
The latest recognition follows Ryder’s earlier acknowledgment in 2024 as a VETS Indexes Recognized Employer, underscoring the organization’s continued emphasis on recruiting, retaining, and advancing military-connected talent across its nationwide operations.
The annual VETS Indexes Employer Awards program recognizes organizations that demonstrate measurable support for veterans through workplace policies, career development initiatives, and inclusive employment practices. Ryder’s recognition as a 3 Star Employer in 2026 reinforces its position among companies actively investing in veteran workforce engagement and career pathways.
Recognition Highlights Veteran Workforce Commitment
For Ryder, the recognition reflects years of effort to create employment opportunities specifically aligned with the skills and experience of military personnel. The company has increasingly emphasized the value veterans bring to operational roles, particularly in areas such as logistics, transportation, fleet management, maintenance, and supply chain services.
According to company leadership, veterans contribute significantly to Ryder’s organizational culture and operational effectiveness because of the unique experiences developed during military service.
Ryder Chief Executive Officer John Diez emphasized the role veteran employees play across the organization, noting that military professionals often possess qualities that directly support the company’s business operations.
“Ryder is proud to employ so many members of the veteran community and to recognize the disciplined, highly skilled professionals who play critical roles across our organization,” Diez said.
He highlighted attributes such as accountability, integrity, leadership, and mission-oriented thinking as important characteristics veterans bring into civilian workplaces.
In industries where reliability, safety, operational discipline, and customer commitments are essential, employers increasingly recognize military experience as highly transferable. At Ryder, these qualities are particularly relevant in logistics and transportation environments that require precision, coordination, and problem-solving under pressure.
Diez also stressed that while receiving recognition from external organizations is meaningful, the company views the everyday contributions of veteran employees as the true measure of success.
Veterans across Ryder’s workforce contribute in various operational and leadership capacities, helping the company meet customer expectations while supporting business continuity in complex transportation and supply chain environments.
VETS Indexes Awards Focus on Veteran Employment Practices
The VETS Indexes Employer Awards recognize organizations that demonstrate a strong commitment to hiring and supporting military-connected employees. The awards evaluate participating employers on multiple dimensions, including recruitment strategies, employee retention, career development opportunities, veteran-focused benefits, and workplace support systems.
Organizations are also assessed on how effectively they support members of the National Guard and Reserves, as well as military spouses who may face unique employment challenges due to relocation and service-related obligations.
The 2026 award recipients were announced during the Employing U.S. Vets Conference, held at the New York Athletic Club, where organizations from multiple sectors were recognized for their contributions to veteran employment initiatives.
Nicholas Antaki, president of VETS Indexes, said Ryder’s efforts reflect measurable support for veterans and the military-connected community.
According to Antaki, employers that continue to build pathways for veterans help shape the future of workforce inclusion while also strengthening their organizations through experienced talent acquisition.
He also pointed to the launch of an updated awards platform and survey process for 2026, aimed at helping employers more effectively assess and showcase their veteran employment programs.
The revised framework is designed to improve benchmarking and enable participating companies to better evaluate progress related to military hiring and retention goals.
For employers such as Ryder, these evaluations can provide external validation of workforce initiatives while also identifying opportunities for continued development.
Veteran Hiring Remains a Long-Term Priority
Ryder’s focus on veteran employment is not a recent development. The company has spent years building structured programs intended to attract service members and help ease their transition into civilian employment.
Military recruitment has become an important part of Ryder’s workforce strategy, particularly because many military occupational specialties closely align with the company’s technical and operational needs.
Veterans often possess experience in transportation logistics, vehicle maintenance, equipment operation, leadership, safety compliance, and mission execution — capabilities that directly translate into many Ryder positions.
Since joining the Hiring Our Heroes program launched by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2011, Ryder has hired nearly 18,000 veterans across the United States, illustrating the scale of its veteran recruitment efforts.
The Hiring Our Heroes initiative connects veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses with employers seeking experienced talent. Through partnerships such as this, Ryder has been able to strengthen its veteran recruitment pipeline while also expanding career opportunities for former military personnel.
The long-standing partnership reflects broader trends in corporate America, where companies increasingly recognize the value veterans bring to industries experiencing skilled labor shortages.
For sectors such as transportation, diesel maintenance, logistics, and fleet operations, military experience can often shorten training timelines and improve workforce readiness.
Veteran Buddy Program Supports Civilian Career Transition
Transitioning from military service to civilian employment can be a significant adjustment for many veterans. Challenges often include adapting to different workplace cultures, translating military experience into civilian job expectations, and building new professional networks.
To help address these challenges, Ryder developed its Veteran Buddy Program, an initiative designed to support newly hired veterans during the onboarding and adjustment process.
The program pairs new veteran employees with Ryder team members who have also served in the military. By connecting veterans with peers who understand the transition experience firsthand, the company aims to create a stronger support system during the early stages of employment.
The mentoring-style structure provides veterans with guidance on workplace expectations, career development, and professional integration into Ryder’s operations.
Peer-based support programs have become increasingly common among veteran-friendly employers because they can reduce turnover, strengthen employee engagement, and improve long-term retention.
For many veterans, having access to colleagues who share similar experiences can make the transition to civilian work environments smoother and more manageable.
At Ryder, the initiative reflects a broader effort to move beyond recruitment and focus on long-term career success for veteran employees.
Technical Training Through the Pathway Home Program
In addition to recruiting veterans, Ryder also invests in technical workforce development programs aimed at helping transitioning military personnel build specialized skills for civilian careers.
One of Ryder’s key initiatives is participation in the Pathway Home Program, a 12-week diesel maintenance technician training program designed for soldiers transitioning out of military service.
The program offers participants hands-on technical training while helping prepare them for employment opportunities in commercial fleet maintenance.
Upon successful completion of the training, participants have a pathway to employment as Ryder technicians.
Diesel maintenance continues to be a critical workforce area for transportation and logistics companies, particularly as demand grows for skilled technicians capable of maintaining increasingly sophisticated commercial vehicles.
Programs such as Pathway Home can help bridge workforce gaps while simultaneously providing veterans with stable career opportunities after military service.
The initiative also highlights how companies are expanding beyond traditional recruitment models by investing in training programs that support both workforce development and veteran employment goals.
For transitioning soldiers, structured programs that connect military skills with civilian career opportunities can play an important role in long-term employment outcomes.
Veterans Bring Transferable Skills to Transportation and Logistics
Ryder’s veteran-focused initiatives align with broader workforce trends in the transportation and supply chain industries.
Military veterans often possess experience operating complex equipment, managing logistics operations, working under strict deadlines, and functioning effectively in team-based environments. These capabilities frequently transfer well into commercial transportation and fleet operations.
Additionally, veterans often demonstrate strong leadership skills, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities — characteristics that employers increasingly value amid changing supply chain demands and workforce shortages.
As logistics operations become more technology-driven and operationally complex, companies continue seeking talent capable of navigating high-pressure environments while maintaining reliability and safety standards.
For Ryder, hiring veterans supports both workforce development and operational resilience.
The company’s continued recognition through programs such as VETS Indexes suggests that veteran employment will remain an important component of its talent strategy moving forward.
Expanding Career Opportunities for Veterans
Veterans interested in pursuing employment opportunities with Ryder can explore available openings through the company’s dedicated veteran careers portal, which helps military personnel match their skills and experience with open positions across the organization.
The platform is designed to simplify the job search process for veterans by connecting military backgrounds with relevant civilian career opportunities.
As employers continue to expand veteran-focused hiring programs, recognition programs such as the VETS Indexes Employer Awards are increasingly becoming benchmarks for organizations seeking to demonstrate meaningful support for military-connected communities.
For Ryder, the 2026 3 Star Employer designation represents both external recognition and a continuation of a long-term workforce strategy centered on supporting those who have served in the military.
With veteran hiring initiatives, transition support programs, mentorship opportunities, and technical training pathways in place, the company continues to position itself as an employer focused on helping military-connected talent build lasting civilian careers.
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