YRC earns top spot in 2008 Fortune magazine survey

YRC CEO Bill Zollars

The Trucker Staff

3/6/2008

NEW YORK — Taking the top spot in each of eight evaluation standards, YRC Worldwide has been ranked No. 1 in the trucking category on Fortune magazine’s 26th annual list of America’s Most Admired Companies.

The honor marks the sixth consecutive year for the Overland Park, Kan.-based company. Its brands include Yellow Transportation, Roadway, Reimer Express, YRC Logistics, New Penn, USF Holland, USF Reddaway, and USF Glen Moore.

YRC’s score of 7.52 set the industry standard, followed by three other trucking honorees: Ryder System (6.44); Landstar System (6.04); and J.B. Hunt Transport Services (6.03).

In the delivery and transportation category, United Parcel Service was tapped for the top spot earning a score of 8.37. Rounding out the list are FedEx (7.87) and C.H. Robinson Worldwide (5.29).

“We are honored to receive this prestigious recognition for the sixth year in a row,” said Bill Zollars, chairman, president and CEO of YRC Worldwide. “We are especially excited to have ranked number one in all eight attributes of reputation categories, an achievement that validates our position as an industry leader and our ongoing commitment to our customers.”

Fortune’s annual list of America’s Most Admired Companies appears in its March 17 issue.

To create the lists, Fortune and its research partner, Hay Group, sorted the Fortune 1,000 and the top foreign companies operating in the U.S. into 63 industries, each containing the 10 largest companies. Hay then surveyed executives, directors and analysts, asking them to rate their competition on the eight reputation keys. Those attributes included innovation, employee talent, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment, and quality of products/services.

According to Fortune, “the Most Admired list is the definitive report on corporate reputations.”

Landstar’s selection marks the company’s fifth consecutive.

“We’re honored to be chosen once again as one of America’s Most Admired Companies,” said Landstar President and CEO Henry Gerkens. “The recognition is a direct reflection of the contributions made by Landstar independent sales agents, third-party capacity providers and employees.”

Apple topped Fortune’s Top 10 overall, followed in order by Berkshire Hathaway, General Electric, Google, Toyota Motor, Starbucks, FedEx, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and Goldman Sachs Group. 8