Ryder System has launched a new Premium Freight Service in Europe that is internet-enabled to provide worldwide management of time-critical deliveries.

Based at Ryder's Transport Management Center in Düsseldorf, Germany, the service provides a rapid, trackable and accountable service for shipments that are outside the scope of standard schedules and tariffs.

The center already offers such services as shipment planning and execution of standard shipments, freight bill audit and payment, and carrier procurement.

"Ryder has invested in personnel and infrastructure to bring together a pool of experts in road and airfreight," says Nicolas Kuehnel, center manager. "The multilingual team allows Ryder to address customer requests in their local language-all team members speak English and German and at least one additional language. Our clients benefit from our neutral position as we are able to source the best route and carrier for each individual shipment. This could include dedicated vehicles, express airfreight, onboard courier, air or helicopter charter. We operate as an agent using selected, preferred suppliers and, because of our buying power, have already delivered considerable savings to existing customers who have adopted the service." 

The service is backed up by a web-based system which provides customers with full transparency of billing and tracking.

"We believe that many other companies could benefit from our pan-European management facility," says Kuehnel. "These emergency deliveries are usually an unbudgeted headache and our system offers a cost-effective solution, with full transparency and the option of cross-charging to the company which has necessitated the expedited delivery."

In other action, Ryder has completed its acquisition of most of the assets of Pollock NationaLease, one of Canada's largest privately owned commercial truck leasing and rental companies, as well as Pollock's transportation-based logistics operations.

In the transaction, Ryder acquired Pollock's fleet of approximately 2,000 vehicles, six service locations, and nearly 200 contractual customers served by the Ontario locations of Sarnia, Windsor, London, Baden, and Milton, as well as the Moncton, New Brunswick location. The combined network will operate under the Ryder name.

"This acquisition strengthens our network and product offering in key markets, bringing a wide range of transportation and logistics solutions, expanded service locations, innovative technologies, operational efficiencies, and global resources to the Canadian marketplace," says Ryder Chairman and CEO Greg Swienton.

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