Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE:R
– news), a global leader in logistics and transportation management solutions,
today reported revenue increased slightly over 6 percent to $1.34 billion for
the three months ending September 30, 2000, up from $1.26 billion in the comparable
period last year.

Pre-tax earnings from continuing
operations, before other charges and unusual items, were $56.6 million in the
third quarter, compared with $61.7 million in the year-earlier period. On a
per diluted share basis, earnings from continuing operations before other charges
and unusual items increased over 9 percent to $0.60 in the third quarter of
2000, compared with $0.55 in the third quarter of 1999.

Other charges and unusual
items in the third quarter totaled $37.3 million, pre-tax, or $0.39 per diluted
share after income taxes, as announced on October 6. There are primarily two
components of the pre-tax charge. The first is a write-down of certain Ryder-owned
unsold used tractors, reflecting the continuing industry-wide downturn in the
market for new and used “Class 8” trucks and tractors (the largest heavy-duty
tractors and straight trucks) and anticipated net sales proceeds. Ryder’s unsold
Class 8 inventory consists of units previously used by customers of the Company’s
full service commercial lease and short-term commercial rental programs.

Relating to that charge,
there is also an increase in the Company’s reserves for guaranteed termination
values for equipment that Ryder leases rather than owns. The charge for the
impacted owned and leased revenue-earning equipment represents less than one
percent of Ryder’s total asset base.

A secondary and small component
of the charge is a write-down of assets impaired in connection with the settlement
of a long-standing contract dispute.

Unusual items totaled $37.3
million in the third quarter of 2000, compared with $5.3 million in the same
period last year. In the third quarter of 2000, unusual items included the charge
referenced above. In the third quarter of 1999, unusual items included slightly
more than $2 million in Y2K expenses and $3 million in restructuring costs.
On a per diluted share basis, unusual items were $0.39 for the third quarter
of 2000, compared with $0.05 a year ago. In addition, the third quarter of 1999
included a $335 million after-tax gain on the sale of Ryder’s Public Transportation
division (or $4.83 per diluted share) as well as a $9 million after-tax loss
on discontinued operations (or $0.13 per diluted share).

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Year to Date Results

For the first nine months
of 2000, Ryder’s revenue grew nearly 10 percent, to almost $4 billion, up from
approximately $3.6 billion in the comparable period of 1999. Pre-tax earnings
from continuing operations, before unusual items, were slightly over $135 million
and essentially flat with the same period last year.

Unusual items were $37.3
million in the first nine months of 2000, compared with $28 million during the
same period of 1999 (slightly over $23 million in Y2K expenses and almost $5
million in restructuring costs).

Results of the first nine
months of 1999 also included the $335 million after-tax gain on the sale of
the Public Transportation division referenced earlier, as well as $12 million
in earnings from discontinued operations.

On a per diluted share basis,
continuing operations, before unusual items, were up approximately 20 percent,
to $1.43 in the first nine months of 2000, compared with $1.19 during the same
period of 1999. Unusual items were $0.39 for the first nine months of 2000,
compared with $0.24 in the same period of 1999. In addition, the first nine
months of 1999 included a $4.75 gain on the sale of the Public Transportation
division and $0.17 of earnings from continuing operations.

Third Quarter Business
Segment Operating Results

“Ryder’s operating results
were in line with current estimates, despite continued competitive challenges
and the industry-wide weakened used truck market,” said Gregory T. Swienton,
Ryder’s President and Chief Operating Officer.

Logistics Solutions

Logistics solutions enable
customers to improve their shareholder value and customer satisfaction by decreasing
supply chain cycle times and costs. The solutions involve management of the
logistics pipeline as a synchronized, integrated process from raw material supply
to finished goods distribution. By improving business processes and employing
new technologies, the flow of goods and cash are made faster and consume less
capital.

In the Logistics Solutions
business segment, third quarter 2000 gross revenue totaled $394.3 million, up
over 9 percent from the comparable period in 1999. Third quarter 2000 operating
revenue was $295.1 million, up almost 12 percent from the comparable period
a year ago. Revenue growth is attributable to the start-up of new business,
as well as expansion of business with existing customers.

The Logistics Solutions’
contribution margin was down in the third quarter of 2000, due primarily to
increased costs related to Ryder’s transportation management offering, which
is being consolidated into a new national facility in the Dallas-Fort Worth
metroplex, and one-time legal fees that will benefit future results. Contribution
margin dollars were $16.8 million in the third quarter of 2000, compared with
$19.1 million in the same quarter of 1999. The contribution margin as a percentage
of operating revenue was 5.7 percent in the third quarter of 2000, compared
with 7.2 percent in the same quarter of 1999.

Dedicated Contract Carriage

Ryder’s Dedicated Contract
Carriage (DCC) segment provides customers with vehicles, drivers, management
and administrative support, with the assets being committed to a specific customer
for a specified contractual term. DCC supports customers with both basic and
sophisticated logistics and transportation needs, including routing and scheduling,
specialized driver services and extensive logistical engineering support.

In the Dedicated Contract
Carriage business segment, third quarter gross revenue totaled $136.7 million,
up over 3 percent from the third quarter of 1999. Operating revenue in the third
quarter was $134.5 million, up 2.5 percent from the comparable period a year
ago. The contribution margin in the third quarter of 2000 was $14.8 million,
essentially flat on a year-over-year comparison with 1999. Contribution margin
as a percentage of operating revenue was 11.0 percent compared with 11.5 percent
last year. This percentage is down slightly as a result of increased salary
expenses, as well as higher fuel costs. Since higher fuel costs are essentially
passed through to customers, they have no impact on margin dollars, but they
do decrease the margin as a percentage of revenue.

Commercial Leasing and
Rental

Ryder’s commercial leasing
operations combine several capabilities into a comprehensive package that provides
one-stop outsourcing of the acquisition, maintenance, management and disposal
of vehicles. Ryder’s commercial rental service offers customers a method to
expand their fleets in order to address specific or short-term capacity needs.

In the Leasing and Rental
business segment, dry revenue (revenue excluding fuel) in the third quarter
of 2000 was $719.2 million, up over 3 percent from the third quarter of 1999.
Leasing revenue was up almost 5 percent, while rental revenue was down almost
5 percent from a year ago. Rental growth has slowed as expected due to the arrival
and subsequent delivery to customers of new lease vehicles, which are replacing
rental vehicles used in the interim period. However, excluding this lease-support
revenue, pure rental revenue increased almost 6 percent.

Due to the continuation
of higher fuel prices, fuel revenue was up almost 24 percent over the third
quarter of 1999. However, Ryder realized no additional margin from the fuel
price increases.

Contribution margin dollars
in the commercial leasing and rental segment increased 6.1 percent in the third
quarter of 2000 compared with the same period of 1999. Contribution margin as
a percentage of dry revenue was 14.9 percent in the third quarter of 2000 compared
with 14.5 percent in third quarter of 1999. Contribution margins increased primarily
due to stronger lease and contract maintenance margins in Ryder’s domestic operations
as well as lower employee benefit costs. Earnings were negatively impacted by
lower rental margin dollars due to lower rental revenue, bad debt expenses and
lower gains on the sale of equipment.

Corporate Financial Information

Capital Expenditures

Continuing the processes
and controls put in place during the second half of 1999, gross capital expenditures
were reduced by over 54 percent to $197.8 million in the third quarter of 2000,
down significantly compared with the $431.9 million spent during the comparable
quarter in 1999. Likewise, for the first nine months of 2000, gross capital
expenditures were just over $1 billion, down 31.9 percent compared with the
first nine months of 1999. Gross capital expenditures are offset by proceeds
from the sale of revenue-earning equipment.

Central Support Services

Central support services
are those costs incurred to support all product lines. In the third quarter
of 2000, central support services were almost $72 million, compared with slightly
more than $63 million in the third quarter of 1999. The cost increase was primarily
for additional strategic investments in the Company. Expenditures were made
for: management information systems; wages, professional fees and technology
costs related to customer solutions; e-Commerce initiatives; and human resources
and financial services initiatives.

Outlook

According to Swienton, “Although
our corporate restructuring has reduced the overall impacts of business cycle
factors on Ryder’s results, we are experiencing signs of weakness in the economy,
as evidenced by a slowing of our commercial rental business segment and bad
debt and bankruptcies with some customers, as well as the previously mentioned
depressed used truck market. Nonetheless, we are working diligently to grow
our business in a profitable manner. In the last several days we have announced
the acquisition of Ascent Logistics in Singapore, which will solidify our position
in Asia. We announced a major logistics contract with Visteon, a huge supplier
in the automotive sector, as well as the launch of another of our e-Business
ventures, RyderFleetProducts.com.”

Commenting further, Swienton
said, “We continue to believe that the initiatives we have underway will improve
Ryder’s execution and long-term profitability and we anticipate continued growth
across our lines of business.”

Signs of softness appeared
in Ryder’s business segments in September as the third quarter drew to a close.
Ryder management anticipates that external market trends and other events already
noted could continue, and therefore it believes the Company’s earnings per share
for the fourth quarter of 2000 could be in the range of $0.45 to $0.50, yielding
earnings per share for full year 2000 of $1.88 to $1.93.

Company Description

Ryder provides a continuum
of leading-edge logistics, supply chain and transportation management solutions
worldwide. Ryder’s product offerings range from full-service leasing, commercial
rental and programmed maintenance of vehicles to integrated services such as
dedicated contract carriage and carrier management. Additionally, Ryder offers
comprehensive supply chain solutions, lead logistics management services and
e-Commerce solutions that support customers’ entire supply chains, from sourcing
of inbound raw materials through distribution and delivery of finished goods.
Ryder serves customer needs throughout North America, in Latin America, Europe
and Asia.

Fortune magazine ranked
Ryder as the most admired company in the highway transportation industry in
1997 and 1998 and second in 1999. In 2000, Ryder received a higher overall rating
than its competitors in the Fortune survey. For the third consecutive year,
Inbound Logistics magazine recognized Ryder in 2000 as the top third-party logistics
provider.

Ryder’s stock is a component
of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.
In 2000, Ryder ranked 309th on the Fortune 500 list and 332nd on the Forbes
500.

For additional information
regarding Ryder System, Inc., please visit www.ryder.com.

Note: Certain statements
and information included in this release constitute “forward-looking statements”
within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Forward-looking statements herein should be evaluated with due consideration
given to the many uncertainties inherent in our business that could cause actual
results and events to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
Important factors that could cause such differences include, among others, the
competitive pricing environment applicable to the Company’s businesses, changes
in customers’ business environments and greater than expected expenses associated
with the Company’s activities.

NOTE:

The third quarter 2000 earnings
webcast is scheduled for October 19, 2000 at 11:15 a.m. (EDT). To access the
call via the Internet, visit Ryder’s home page at www.ryder.com.
Speakers will be:

M. Anthony Burns, Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer Gregory T. Swienton, President and Chief Operating
Officer Corliss J. Nelson, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer

RYDER SYSTEM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
        CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS - UNAUDITED
                Periods ended September 30, 2000 and 1999
                  (In millions, except per share data)
 
                                 Three Months          Nine Months
                                2000       1999       2000      1999
 
 Revenue                      $1,338.8    1,261.6   $3,979.6   3,630.4
 
 Operating expense             1,001.0      904.3    2,990.5   2,613.7
 Freight under management
  expense                        101.4       98.4      310.8     305.1
 Depreciation expense,
  before gains                   142.8      161.1      434.2     471.1
 Gains on vehicle sales           (3.7)     (14.7)     (17.0)    (42.8)
 Interest expense                 36.6       50.1      117.3     144.1
 Miscellaneous expense
  (income)                         4.1        0.7        8.7       3.9
 Unusual items:
      Restructuring and
       other charges              37.3        3.0       37.3       4.7
      Year 2000 expense            0.0        2.3        0.0      23.3
                               1,319.5    1,205.2    3,881.8   3,523.1
 
 Earnings from continuing
  operations before income
  taxes                           19.3       56.4       97.8     107.3
 Provision for income taxes        7.2       21.3       36.2      40.7
 Earnings from continuing
  operations                      12.1       35.1       61.6      66.6
 Earnings from discontinued
  operations                    --           (9.0)    --          11.8
 Gain on sale of
  discontinued operations       --          335.4     --         335.4
 
   Net earnings               $   12.1      361.5   $   61.6     413.8
 
 Diluted earnings per
  common share:
  Continuing operations       $   0.20       0.51   $   1.03      0.94
  Discontinued operations      --           (0.13)   --           0.17
  Gain on sale of
   discontinued operations     --            4.83    --           4.75
                              $   0.20       5.21   $   1.03      5.87
 
   Average common
    shares - diluted              59.8       69.4       59.7      70.5
 
 Supplemental earnings
  per share information:
  Earnings from continuing
   operations prior to
   unusual items              $   0.60       0.55   $   1.43      1.19
    Restructuring and
     other charges               (0.39)     (0.03)     (0.39)    (0.04)
    Year 2000 expense         --            (0.02)   --          (0.20)
    Continuing operations     $   0.20       0.51   $   1.03      0.94
    Discontinued operations   --            (0.13)   --           0.17
    Gain on sale of
     discontinued operations  --             4.83    --           4.75
                              $   0.20       5.21   $   1.03      5.87
 
 NOTE: Earnings per share amounts are calculated independently for each
       component and may not be additive due to rounding.
 
 
                   RYDER SYSTEM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
    CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS - PRELIMINARY AND UNAUDITED
                              (In millions)
 
                                      September 30,   Dec. 31,
                                            2000      1999
 
 Assets:
  Current assets                        $  1,130.7   1,209.4
  Revenue earning equipment                2,986.8   3,095.5
  Operating property and equipment           579.4     581.1
  Other assets                               922.6     884.5
                                        $  5,619.5   5,770.5
 
 Liabilities and
  Shareholders' Equity:
  Current liabilities (including
   current portion of long-term debt)   $  1,450.3   1,449.5
  Long-term debt                           1,680.3   1,819.1
  Other non-current liabilities
   (including deferred income taxes)       1,258.9   1,297.0
  Shareholders' equity                     1,230.0   1,204.9
                                        $  5,619.5   5,770.5
 
 SELECTED KEY RATIOS
                                         September 30, Dec. 31,
                                             2000       1999
 
 Debt to equity                                182%      199%
 Total obligations
  to equity (a)                                278%      271%
 
                                             Twelve months ended
                                                September 30,
                                               2000     1999
 
 Return on average
  common equity (b)                            8.2%     12.9%
 Return on average
  assets (b)                                   1.6%      2.1%
 Average asset turnover                       91.3%     85.6%
 
 (a) Total obligations represent both on and off-balance sheet debt
 
 (b) Excludes Year 2000 expense and restructuring
 
 
                   RYDER SYSTEM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
                      BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION
                Periods ended September 30, 2000 and 1999
                              (In millions)
 
                                               Three Months
                                      ------------------------------
                                        2000        1999       B(W)
                                      --------    -------    -------
 Revenue:
  Leasing and rental:
    Full service lease
     and program maintenance         $   484.3      461.6        4.9%
    Commercial rental                    137.7      144.4       (4.6%)
    Fuel                                 189.2      152.8       23.8%
    Other                                 97.2       90.4        7.5%
                                      --------    -------     ------
       Total leasing and rental          908.4      849.2        7.0%
                                      --------    -------     ------
 Logistics solutions                     394.3      361.1        9.2%
 Dedicated contract carriage             136.7      132.2        3.4%
 Eliminations                           (100.6)     (80.9)      24.4%
                                      --------    -------     ------
         Total revenue               $ 1,338.8    1,261.6        6.1%
                                      ========    =======     ======
 
 
 Contribution margin:
      Leasing and rental             $   107.2      101.0        6.1%
      Logistics solutions                 16.8       19.1      (12.0%)
      Dedicated contract carriage         14.8       15.1       (2.0%)
      Eliminations                       (10.4)     (10.2)       2.0%
                                      --------    -------     ------
                                         128.4      125.0        2.7%
 Central support services                (71.8)     (63.3)      13.4%
                                      --------    -------     ------
 
 Earnings from continuing
  operations before
  unusual items and income
  taxes                                   56.6       61.7       (8.3%)
 
 Restructuring and other
  charges                                (37.3)      (3.0)  1143.3%
 Year 2000 expense                      --           (2.3)    (100.0%)
                                      --------    -------     ------
 
 Earnings before
  income taxes                            19.3       56.4      (65.8%)
 Provision for income
  taxes                                   (7.2)     (21.3)     (66.2%)
                                      --------    -------     ------
 Earnings from
  continuing operations                   12.1       35.1      (65.5%)
 Earnings from discontinued
  operations                            --           (9.0)    (100.0%)
 Gain on sale of discontinued
  operations                            --          335.4     (100.0%)
                                      --------    -------     ------
 Net earnings                        $    12.1      361.5   (96.7%)
                                      ========    =======     ======
 
                                                Nine Months
                                      ------------------------------
                                        2000       1999        B(W)
                                      --------    -------     ------
 Revenue:
  Leasing and rental:
    Full service lease
     and program maintenance         $ 1,433.8    1,352.9       6.0%
    Commercial rental                    394.3      400.2      (1.5%)
    Fuel                                 563.1      418.8      34.5%
    Other                                295.4      269.4       9.7%
                                      --------    -------     -----
       Total leasing and rental        2,686.6    2,441.3      10.0%
                                      --------    -------     -----
 Logistics solutions                   1,184.6    1,047.5      13.1%
 Dedicated contract carriage             404.3      383.1       5.5%
 Eliminations                           (295.9)    (241.5)     22.5%
                                      --------    -------     -----
         Total revenue               $ 3,979.6    3,630.4       9.6%
                                      ========    =======     =====
 
 
 Contribution margin:
      Leasing and rental             $   285.7      277.1       3.1%
      Logistics solutions                 52.1       39.9      30.6%
      Dedicated contract carriage         43.0       42.2       1.9%
      Eliminations                       (34.1)     (30.0)     13.7%
                                      --------    -------     -----
                                         346.7      329.2       5.3%
 Central support services               (211.6)    (193.9)      9.1%
                                      --------    -------     -----
 
 Earnings from continuing
  operations before
  unusual items and income
  taxes                                  135.1      135.3      (0.1%)
 
 Restructuring and other
  charges                                (37.3)      (4.7)    693.6%
 Year 2000 expense                      --          (23.3)   (100.0%)
                                      --------    -------     -----
 
 Earnings before
  income taxes                            97.8      107.3      (8.9%)
 Provision for income
  taxes                                  (36.2)     (40.7)    (11.1%)
                                      --------    -------     -----
 Earnings from
  continuing operations                   61.6       66.6      (7.5%)
 Earnings from discontinued
  operations                            --           11.8    (100.0%)
 Gain on sale of discontinued
  operations                            --          335.4    (100.0%)
                                      --------    -------     -----
 Net earnings                        $    61.6      413.8     (85.1%)
                                      ========    =======     =====
 
 
                   RYDER SYSTEM, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
                       SEGMENT CONTRIBUTION MARGIN
                Periods ended September 30, 2000 and 1999
                              (In millions)
 
 
                                          Three Months
                               -----------------------------
                                 2000       1999       B(W)
                               --------   --------   -------
 Leasing and Rental
 
 Total revenue                 $ 908.4     849.2       7.0%
 Fuel revenue                   (189.2)   (152.8)     23.8%
                                ------     -----     -----
 Dry revenue                   $ 719.2     696.4       3.3%
                                ======     =====     =====
 
 Contribution margin           $ 107.2     101.0       6.1%
                                ======     =====     =====
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of total revenue                11.8%     11.9%
                                ======     =====
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of dry revenue                  14.9%     14.5%
                                ======     =====
 
 
 Logistics Solutions
 
 Total revenue                 $ 394.3     361.1       9.2%
 Freight Under Management
  (FUM) expense                  (99.2)    (97.3)      2.0%
                                ------     -----     -----
 Operating revenue             $ 295.1     263.8      11.9%
                                ======     =====     =====
 
 Contribution margin           $  16.8      19.1     (12.0%)
                                ======     =====     =====
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of total revenue                 4.3%      5.3%
                                ======     =====
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of operating revenue             5.7%      7.2%
                                ======     =====
 
 Dedicated Contract Carriage
 
 Total revenue                 $ 136.7     132.2       3.4%
 Freight Under Management
  (FUM) expense                   (2.2)     (1.0)    120.0%
                                ------     -----     -----
 Operating revenue             $ 134.5     131.2       2.5%
                                ======     =====     =====
 
 Contribution margin           $  14.8      15.1      (2.0%)
                                ======     =====     =====
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of total revenue                10.8%     11.4%
                                ======     =====
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of operating revenue            11.0%     11.5%
                                ======     =====
 
                                        Nine Months
                               --------------------------------
                                  2000        1999        B(W)
                               ----------    -------     ------
 Leasing and Rental
 
 Total revenue                 $ 2,686.6     2,441.3     10.0%
 Fuel revenue                     (563.1)     (418.8)    34.5%
                                --------     -------     ----
 Dry revenue                   $ 2,123.5     2,022.5      5.0%
                                ========     =======     ====
 
 Contribution margin           $   285.7       277.1      3.1%
                                ========     =======     ====
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of total revenue                  10.6%       11.4%
                                ========     =======
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of dry revenue                    13.5%       13.7%
                                ========     =======
 
 
 Logistics Solutions
 
 Total revenue                 $ 1,184.6     1,047.5     13.1%
 Freight Under Management
  (FUM) expense                   (306.4)     (301.8)     1.5%
                                --------     -------     ----
 Operating revenue             $   878.2       745.7     17.8%
                                ========     =======     ====
 
 Contribution margin           $    52.1        39.9     30.6%
                                ========     =======     ====
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of total revenue                   4.4%        3.8%
                                ========     =======
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of operating revenue               5.9%        5.4%
                                ========     =======
 
 
 Dedicated Contract Carriage
 
 Total revenue                 $   404.3       383.1      5.5%
 Freight Under Management
  (FUM) expense                     (4.4)       (3.2)    37.5%
                                --------     -------     ----
 Operating revenue             $   399.9       379.9      5.3%
                                ========     =======     ====
 
 Contribution margin           $    43.0        42.2      1.9%
                                ========     =======     ====
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of total revenue                  10.6%       11.0%
                                ========     =======
 
 Contribution margin as %
  of operating revenue              10.8%       11.1%
                                ========     =======