Ease of use drives Ryder’s mobile app

Consumers can find Ryder truck rental, maintenance and fueling locations.

Whether driving a Ryder Systems Inc. rental truck for a short stint or a longer period as part of a commercial fleet, sometimes a driver needs a quick and easy way to find the closest Ryder location.

Ryder hopes its new app, dubbed Ryder Locator, fulfills that need. The app relies on a smartphone’s built-in GPS capability to find the nearest Ryder rental, maintenance and fueling locations. Users tap the Nearby Locations link on the home screen to automatically generate a map view of the closest Ryder facilities. They also can search by city and state and ZIP code. There’s also a Roadside Assistance button to tap to quickly connect to that service.

Ryder chose a Mobile App over a mobile-optimized web site because an app is easier to use, says Sheryl Pattek, Ryder vice president of marketing for Fleet Management Solutions. A tap is all it takes to open the app compared with tapping the web browser and typing in the URL in the web address bar.

 A simple tap opens the app, which users can then use to search for the closest maintenance, fueling or rental location.

The app also simplifies access to many smartphone features. For example, once a user selects a location he can tap the Get Directions button to generate a route using the smartphone’s map application. The location information page also includes the site’s phone numbers, shop and rental hours, and a list of services, such as showers and a driver’s lounge for commercial drivers.

The app is available for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry smartphones.

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