Debt (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Long-term debt:
Total before fair market value adjustment	$ 3,225,173	$ 2,688,605
Fair market value adjustment on notes subject to hedging	16,441	15,429
Total after fair market value adjustment	3,241,614	2,704,034
Current portion of long-term debt, including capital leases	(293,715)	(377,156)
Long-term debt	2,947,899	2,326,878
Total debt	3,241,781	2,747,002
U.S Commercial Paper, Long-Term [Member]
Long-term debt:
Long-term debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.37%	0.42%
U.S. Commercial Paper	531,908	367,880
Maturity date range, start	2016
Unsecured U.S. notes - Medium-term notes, Long-Term [Member]
Long-term debt:
Long-term debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	4.47%	5.28%
Maturity date range, start	2011
Maturity date range, end	2025
Unsecured U.S. notes - Medium-term notes	2,483,779	2,158,647
Unsecured U.S. obligations, principally bank term loans, Long-Term [Member]
Long-term debt:
Long-term debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.49%	1.54%
Maturity date range, start	2012
Maturity date range, end	2013
Unsecured U.S. obligations, principally bank term loans	106,900	105,600
Unsecured Foreign Obligations, Long-Term [Member]
Long-term debt:
Long-term debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	4.83%	5.14%
Maturity date range, start	2011
Maturity date range, end	2012
Unsecured foreign obligations	91,310	45,109
Capital Lease Obligations, Long-Term [Member]
Long-term debt:
Long-term debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	7.88%	7.86%
Maturity date range, start	2011
Maturity date range, end	2017
Capital lease obligations	$ 11,276	$ 11,369

Represents adjustments in fair value of hedged debt obligations attributable to movements in benchmark interest rates. Hedge accounting required hedged debt instruments to be reported at an amount equal to the sum of their carrying value (principal value plus/minus premiums/discounts) and any fair value adjustment.

Name:	r_FairMarketValueAdjustmentOnNotes
Namespace Prefix:	r
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all long-term debt, including current portion, which is debt initially having maturities due after one year from the balance sheet date or beyond the operating cycle, if longer, plus capital lease obligations due to be paid more than one year after the balance sheet date. Doesn't include fair market value adjustment on notes subject to hedging.

+ Details

Name:	r_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligation
Namespace Prefix:	r
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents total long-term debt and capital lease obligations subsequent to fair market value adjustments on notes subject to hedging.

+ Details

Name:	r_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsNetOfAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	r
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value at the balance sheet date of a financial instrument used to receive debt funding on a regular basis.

+ Details

Name:	r_MediumTermNotesLongTerm
Namespace Prefix:	r
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of uncollateralized debt obligation (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer), including current portion.

+ Details

Name:	r_UnsecuredLongTermDebtCurrentAndNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	r
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal through the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 7
-Section 03
-Paragraph 16

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6455398&loc=d3e45280-112737

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of long-term unsecured obligations issued by corporations and other borrowers to investors (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer), excluding current portion.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommercialPaperNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all debt, including all short-term borrowings, long-term debt, and capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13,16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

When presenting a range of maturity dates, the latest date when the outstanding debt instruments are required to be repaid. May be presented in a variety of ways (for example: year only, month and year, day, month and year, and number of years).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 129
-Paragraph 4
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Article 5

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 129
-Paragraph 2
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDateRangeEnd
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

When presenting a range of maturity dates, the earliest date when the outstanding debt instruments are required to be repaid. May be presented in a variety of ways (for example: year only, month and year, day, month and year, and number of years).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDateRangeStart
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of loans from a bank with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 20, 22
-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansPayableToBank
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all long-term debt, which is debt initially having maturities due after one year from the balance sheet date or beyond the operating cycle, if longer, but excluding the portions thereof scheduled to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer plus capital lease obligations due to be paid more than one year after the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 6
-Section H

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Obligation related to long-term debt (excluding convertible debt) and capital leases, the portion which is due in one year or less in the future.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the calculation as of the balance sheet date of the average interest rate weighted by the amount of long-term debt outstanding by type or by instrument at that time.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant