MIAMI, October 8, 2013 – Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R), a leader in commercial transportation and supply chain management solutions, announced it has been selected by Mama Bosso to provide three new refrigerated trucks under a Full Service Lease agreement. Mama Bosso, a frozen pizza brand based in Rock Island, Ill., will use the trucks to support its distribution and delivery operations to grocery stores in the Quad Cities region. With a Full Service Lease, Ryder acquires vehicles according to the customer’s specifications, provides financing, maintenance and fleet support services, and then manages vehicle disposal to protect customers from residual risk. This is the first time Mama Bosso has outsourced its fleet.Scott Florence, CEO and President of Mama Bosso, says that outsourcing fleet operations with Ryder enables him to focus on growing his business. “We started out with two of our own trucks, and the moment one of them was out of service, I immediately realized just how valuable outsourcing our fleet would be,” said Mr. Florence. “We aren’t in the business of shopping for trucks or maintenance. Leasing vehicles from Ryder means we can leverage their maintenance network in markets we currently serve and in new markets we are trying to penetrate. Having a fleet of well-maintained refrigerated vehicles, including 24-hour roadside assistance and available rentals, is also critical in the perishable food and grocery industry.”Mama Bosso was originally founded as an Italian restaurant by the Bosso family in 1962. The restaurant closed in 1986, but the popular pizza continues to be sold in grocery stores throughout the area. Mama Bosso set itself apart by offering pizzas that are hand-assembled daily and feature fresh ingredients, unique sauces created in its own kitchen, and a special pizza dough process that makes the crust of its pies unlike any others found in the frozen foods section of grocery stores. The dough is proofed overnight, just the way a pizzeria does—a process most other frozen pizza brands have abandoned. “Ryder’s solutions enable thousands of small businesses like Mama Bosso to focus on their core business so they can deliver for their customers and grow,” said John Gleason, Ryder’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We look forward to helping Mama Bosso drive what matters in their business by providing a reliable fleet they can count on.”Mama Bosso is expanding its routes and adding more like-items to its product offering, including spinach and classic lasagna. The frozen pizza brand is now available at most retailers in Iowa, Northwest Illinois, and Southwest Wisconsin. For more information about Mama Bosso, visit http://mamabosso.com/.
About Ryder
Ryder is a FORTUNE 500® commercial transportation, logistics and supply chain management 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. Ryder has also been ranked three years in a row as one of the top 250 U.S. companies in the Newsweek Green Rankings. 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 Annual Disaster Giving Program, supporting national and local disaster preparedness and response efforts. For more information, visit www.ryder.com and follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.