Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Total	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Retained Earnings	Retained Earnings Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List]		us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201613Member
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2017		$ 2,453,577	$ 0	$ 0	$ 26,478	$ 1,051,017	$ 2,086,918	$ 100,567	$ (710,836)	$ (100,567)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017					52,955,314
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Comprehensive income (loss)		184,382					284,613		(100,231)
Common stock dividends declared and paid		(112,553)					(112,553)
Common stock issued under employee stock option and stock purchase plans and other (in shares)	[1],[2]				585,990
Common stock issued under employee stock option and stock purchase plans and other	[1],[2]	17,020			$ 293	16,727
Common stock repurchases ( in shares)					(424,819)
Common stock repurchases		(30,810)			$ (212)	(8,305)	(22,293)
Share-based compensation		24,952				24,952
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2018		2,536,568		$ 0	$ 26,559	1,084,391	2,337,252		(911,634)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018					53,116,485
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Comprehensive income (loss)		50,733					(24,410)		75,143
Common stock dividends declared and paid		(117,349)					(117,349)
Common stock issued under employee stock option and stock purchase plans and other (in shares)	[1],[2]				633,261
Common stock issued under employee stock option and stock purchase plans and other	[1],[2]	8,216			$ 316	7,900
Common stock repurchases ( in shares)					(471,430)
Common stock repurchases		(27,686)			$ (236)	(9,470)	(17,980)
Share-based compensation		25,828				25,828
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2019		$ 2,476,310	$ (5,077)		$ 26,639	1,108,649	2,177,513	$ (5,077)	(836,491)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		53,278,316		0	53,278,316
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Comprehensive income (loss)		$ (102,964)					(122,250)		19,286
Common stock dividends declared and paid		(121,292)					(121,292)
Common stock issued under employee stock option and stock purchase plans and other (in shares)	[1],[2]				1,090,715
Common stock issued under employee stock option and stock purchase plans and other	[1],[2]	7,806			$ 545	7,261
Common stock repurchases ( in shares)					(636,998)
Common stock repurchases		(29,219)			$ (318)	(12,949)	(15,952)
Share-based compensation		29,993				29,993
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2020		$ 2,255,557			$ 26,866	$ 1,132,954	$ 1,912,942		$ (817,205)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020		53,732,033		0	53,732,033

[1] Net of common shares delivered as payment for the exercise price or to satisfy the holders’ withholding tax liability upon exercise of options.

[2] Represents open-market transactions of common shares by the trustee of Ryder’s deferred compensation plans.