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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Consolidation and Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Ryder System, Inc. (Ryder) and all entities in which Ryder has a controlling voting interest (subsidiaries) and variable interest entities (VIEs) where Ryder is determined to be the primary beneficiary. Ryder is deemed to be the primary beneficiary if we have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and we share in the significant risks and rewards of the entity. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. We report our financial performance based on three business segments: (1) Fleet Management Solutions (FMS), which provides full service leasing and leasing with flexible maintenance options, commercial rental, and contract or transactional maintenance services of trucks, tractors and trailers to customers principally in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.; (2) Supply Chain Solutions (SCS), which provides integrated logistics solutions, including distribution, management, dedicated transportation and professional services in North America; and (3) Dedicated Transportation Solutions (DTS), which provides turnkey transportation solutions in the U.S. that includes dedicated vehicles, drivers and engineering and administrative support.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. These estimates are based on management’s best knowledge of historical trends, actions that we may take in the future, and other information available when the consolidated financial statements are prepared. Changes in estimates are recognized in accordance with the accounting rules for the estimate, which is typically in the period when new information becomes available. Areas where the nature of the estimate make it reasonably possible that actual results could materially differ from the amounts estimated include: depreciation and residual values, employee benefit plan obligations, self-insurance accruals, impairment assessments on long-lived assets (including goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets), allowance for accounts receivable, income tax liabilities and contingent liabilities.

Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents represent investments in short-term, interest-bearing instruments with maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase and are stated at cost.

Revenue Recognition

We generate revenue primarily through contracts with customers to lease, rent and maintain revenue earning equipment and to provide logistics management and dedicated transportation services. We enter into contracts that can include various combinations of products and services, which are generally capable of being distinct and accounted for as separate performance obligations. We account for a contract when it has approval and commitment from both parties, the rights of the parties are identified, payment terms are identified, the contract has commercial substance and collectibility of consideration is probable. We recognize revenue upon the transfer of control of promised products or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive in exchange for those products or services. We generally recognize revenue over time as we perform because of continuous transfer of control to our customers. Revenue is recognized net of amounts collected from customers for taxes, such as sales tax, that are remitted to the applicable taxing authorities.

Our lease and rental revenues are recognized in accordance with the new lease guidance retrospectively adopted in 2019 (refer to Note 2 for further information) and our services and fuel revenues are recognized in accordance with the new revenue recognition guidance adopted in 2018.

Lease & related maintenance and rental

Lease & related maintenance and rental revenues include ChoiceLease and commercial rental revenues from our FMS business segment. We offer a full service lease as well as a lease with more flexible maintenance options under our ChoiceLease product line, which are marketed, priced and managed as bundled services, that include the equipment lease, maintenance and other related services. We do not offer a stand-alone lease of a vehicle. We offer rental of vehicles under our commercial rental product line, which allows customers to supplement their fleet of vehicles on a short-term basis.

Our ChoiceLease product line includes the lease of a vehicle (lease component) and maintenance and other services (non-lease component). We generally lease new vehicles to our customers. Contract consideration is allocated between the lease component and non-lease component based on management's best estimate of the relative stand-alone selling price of each component. Allocating consideration between the lease and maintenance components in our ChoiceLease product requires significant judgment. We do not sell the components of our ChoiceLease product offering on a stand-alone basis, therefore significant judgment is required to determine the stand-alone selling prices of the lease and maintenance components in order to allocate the consideration on a relative stand-alone selling price basis. For further information regarding our stand-alone selling price estimation process, refer to the "Significant Judgments and Estimates" section below.

Our ChoiceLease product provides for a fixed charge billing and a variable charge billing based on mileage or time usage. Fixed charges are typically billed at the beginning of the month and variable charges are typically billed a month in arrears. Revenue from the lease component of ChoiceLease agreements is recognized based on the classification of the arrangement, typically as either an operating or a sales-type lease. Our commercial rental product includes the short-term rental of a vehicle (one day up to one year in length). All of our rental arrangements are classified as operating leases and revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis.

The majority of our leases are classified as operating leases and we recognize revenue for the lease component of these agreements on a straight-line basis. The non-lease component for maintenance services are not typically performed evenly over the life of a ChoiceLease contract as the level of maintenance provided generally increases as vehicles age. Therefore, we recognize maintenance revenue consistent with the estimated pattern of the costs to maintain the underlying vehicles. This generally results in the recognition of a contract liability for the portion of the customer's bill allocated to the maintenance service component of the agreement. The non-lease component for maintenance included in lease & related maintenance and rental revenues was $950 million, $909 million and $832 million in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Lease and rental agreements do not usually provide for scheduled rent increases or escalations. However, most lease agreements allow for rate changes based upon changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Lease and rental agreements also provide for vehicle usage charges based on a time charge and/or a fixed per-mile charge. The time charge, the per-mile charge and the changes in rates attributed to changes in the CPI are considered contingent rentals and are not considered fixed or determinable until the equipment usage or CPI change occurs. This consideration is allocated to the lease and non-lease components of the contract as it is billed to the customer based on the allocation determined at contract inception. Variable consideration allocated to the lease component is recognized in revenue on a straight-line basis for the remainder of the contract term and variable consideration allocated to the non-lease component is recognized in revenue using an input method, consistent with the estimated pattern of maintenance costs for the remainder of the contract term.

Variable consideration, such as billings for mileage and from changes in CPI, is excluded from the allocation of consideration at the inception of the contract. Revenues associated with licensing and operating taxes that are billed as incurred based on the contract arrangement are also excluded from the allocation of consideration at contract inception and allocated as earned. The variable consideration and licensing and operating tax revenues are allocated to the lease and maintenance components based on the same allocation percentages at contract inception (or the most recent contract modification) when earned.

Leases not classified as operating leases are generally considered sales-type leases. We recognize revenue for sales-type leases using the effective interest method, which provides a constant periodic rate of return on the outstanding investment in the lease. We generally lease new vehicles under our sales-type lease arrangements. Therefore, there is generally not a difference between the net investment in the lease and the carrying value of the vehicles. As a result, there is no selling profit or loss at lease commencement.

Services

Services include SelectCare and other revenues from our FMS business segment and all SCS and DTS revenues.

Under our SelectCare arrangements, we provide maintenance and repairs required to keep a vehicle in good operating condition, perform preventive maintenance inspections, provide access to emergency road service, and substitute vehicles. The vast majority of our services are routine services performed on a recurring basis throughout the term of the arrangement. From time to time, we provide non-routine major repair services in order to place a vehicle back in service.

Through our SelectCare product line, we provide maintenance services to customers who do not choose to lease vehicles from us. Our maintenance service arrangement provides for a monthly fixed charge and a monthly variable charge based on
mileage or time usage. Fixed charges are typically billed at the beginning of the month for the services to be provided that month. Variable charges are typically billed a month in arrears. Most maintenance agreements allow for rate changes based upon changes in the CPI. The fixed per-mile charge and the changes in rates attributed to changes in the CPI are recognized as earned.

The maintenance service is the only performance obligation in SelectCare contracts. This single performance obligation is satisfied at a point in time for transactional maintenance services or over time for contract maintenance agreements. For contract maintenance agreements, the maintenance performance obligation is satisfied as services are performed during the contract period. Revenue from SelectCare contracts is recognized as maintenance services are rendered over the terms of the related arrangements. We generally account for long-term maintenance contracts as one-year contracts since our maintenance arrangements are generally cancelable, without penalty, after one year. We do not disclose information about remaining performance obligations for these contracts as the contract terms are generally deemed to be less than a year.

Costs associated with the activities performed under our maintenance arrangements are primarily comprised of labor, parts and outside repair work. These costs are expensed as incurred. Non-chargeable maintenance costs have been allocated and reflected within “Cost of services” based on the proportionate maintenance-related labor costs relative to all product lines.

In our SCS business segment, we offer a broad range of logistics management services designed to optimize the supply chain and address the key business requirements of our customers supported by a variety of technology and engineering solutions. SCS operates by industry verticals (Automotive, Technology and Healthcare, Consumer Packaged Goods and Retail, and Industrial) to enable our teams to focus on the specific needs of their customers. In our DTS business segment, we combine equipment, maintenance, drivers, administrative services and additional services to provide customers with a single integrated dedicated transportation solution. DTS transportation solutions are customized for our customers based on a transportation analysis to create a logistics design that includes the routing and scheduling of vehicles, the efficient use of vehicle capacity and overall asset utilization.

Revenues from SCS and DTS service contracts are recognized as services are rendered in accordance with contract terms, which typically include (1) fixed and variable billing rates, (2) cost-plus billing rates (input method based on actual costs incurred to perform services and a contracted mark-up), or (3) variable only or fixed only billing rates for the services. Our billing structure aligns with the value transferred to our customers. As a practical expedient, we do not disclose information about remaining performance obligations for these contracts since the revenue recognized corresponds to the amount we have the right to invoice for services performed.

Our customers contract us to provide an integrated service of transportation or supply chain logistical services into a single transportation or supply chain solution. Therefore, we typically recognize SCS and DTS service contracts as one performance obligation satisfied over time. Less commonly, however, we may promise to provide distinct services within a contract, in which case we separate the contract into more than one performance obligation. If a contract is separated into more than one performance obligation, we allocate the total transaction price to each performance obligation in relation to the estimated stand-alone selling prices of each performance obligation. We infrequently sell standard products with observable stand-alone selling prices. More frequently, we sell a customized customer-specific solution, and in these cases we use the expected cost plus a margin approach to estimate the stand-alone selling price of each performance obligation.

Fuel Services

Fuel services revenue is reported in our FMS business segment. We provide our FMS customers with access to fuel at our maintenance facilities across the United States and Canada. Fuel services revenue is invoiced to customers at contracted rates separate from other services being provided in other contracts, or at retail prices. Revenue from fuel services is recognized when fuel is delivered to customers. Fuel is largely a pass-through to our customers, for which we realize minimal changes in profitability during periods of steady market fuel prices. However, profitability may be positively or negatively impacted by sudden increases or decreases in market fuel prices during a short period of time as customer pricing for fuel services is established based on trailing market fuel costs.

Significant Judgments and Estimates

We allocate the contract consideration from our ChoiceLease arrangements between the lease and maintenance components based on the relative stand-alone selling prices of each of those services. We do not sell the components of our ChoiceLease product offering on a stand-alone basis, therefore significant judgment is required to determine the stand-alone selling price of the lease component to allocate the consideration on a relative stand-alone selling price basis. We sell maintenance services separately through our SelectCare arrangements.

For the lease component, we estimate the stand-alone selling price using the projected cash outflows related to the underlying leased vehicle, net of the estimated disposal proceeds, and a certain targeted return considering the weighted average cost of capital. For the non-lease component of the contract, we estimate the stand-alone selling price of the maintenance component using an expected cost-plus margin approach. The expected costs are based on our historical costs of providing maintenance services in our ChoiceLease arrangements. The margin is based on the historical margin percentages for our full service maintenance contracts in the SelectCare product line, as the maintenance performance obligation in those contracts is similar to maintenance in our ChoiceLease arrangements.

Our SCS and DTS contracts with customers often include promises to transfer multiple services to a customer. Determining whether these services are considered distinct performance obligations that should be accounted for separately versus together may require significant judgment. Our SCS and DTS services depend on a significant level of integration and interdependency between the services provided within a contract. Judgment is required to determine whether each service is considered distinct and accounted for as a separate performance obligation, or accounted for together as a significant integrated service and recognized over time. In making this judgment, we consider whether the services provided, within the context of the contract, represent the transfer of individual services or a combined bundle of services to the customer. This involves evaluating the promises to a customer within a contract to identify the services that need to be performed in order for the promise to be satisfied. Since multiple services that occur at different points in time during a contract may be accounted for as an integrated service, judgment is required to assess the pattern of delivery to our customers.

Contract Balances

We do not have material contract assets as we generally invoice customers as we perform services. Contract receivables are recorded in “Receivables, net” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Payment terms vary by contract type, although terms generally include a requirement of payment within 15 to 90 days. As a practical expedient, we do not assess whether a contract has a significant financing component as the period between the receipt of customer payment and the transfer of service to the customer is less than a year.

Our contract liabilities consist primarily of the portion of our ChoiceLease billings allocated to maintenance services that have not yet been performed. We record deferred revenues when cash payments are received or due in advance of our performance, including amounts that are refundable. We classify deferred revenue for performance obligations we expect to perform within 12 months as current liabilities and for performance obligations to be performed later than 12 months as other non-current liabilities. Refer to Note 4, "Revenue," for further information.

Costs to Obtain and Fulfill a Contract

Our incremental direct costs of obtaining and fulfilling a contract, which primarily consist of sales commissions and start-up costs, are capitalized and amortized over the period of contract performance or a longer period, generally the estimated life of the customer relationship if renewals are expected and the renewal commission is not commensurate with the initial commission. We capitalize incremental direct costs of obtaining a contract that i) relate directly to the contract and ii) are expected to be recovered through revenue generated under the contract. This requires an evaluation of whether the costs are incremental and would not have occurred absent the customer contract.

The current and non-current portions of incremental costs to obtain and fulfill a contract are included in “Prepaid expenses and other current assets” and “Sales-type leases and other assets,” respectively, in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Costs are amortized in “Selling, general and administrative expenses” in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings on a straight-line basis over the expected period of benefit. Refer to Note 4, "Revenue," for further information.

Leases

Leases as Lessor

We lease revenue earning equipment to customers for periods generally ranging from three to seven years for trucks and tractors and up to ten years for trailers. We determine if an arrangement is or contains a lease at inception. The standard lease agreement for revenue earning equipment provides both parties the right to terminate; therefore, we evaluate whether the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise the termination option in order to determine the appropriate lease term. If we terminate, the customer has the right (but not obligation) to purchase the vehicle. If the customer terminates, we have the option to require the customer to purchase the vehicle or pay a termination penalty. Our leases generally do not provide either party an option to renew the lease. We also rent revenue earning equipment to customers on a short-term basis, from one day up to one year in length. From time to time, we may also lease facilities to third parties. The majority of our leases are classified as operating leases. However, some of our revenue earning equipment leases are classified as sales-type leases. Refer to Note 7, "Revenue Earning Equipment, Net" for further information on our estimates of residual values and useful lives of revenue earning equipment which impact our sales-type leases.

Leases as Lessee

We lease facilities, revenue earning equipment, material handling equipment, automated washing machines, vehicles and office equipment. We determine if an arrangement is or contains a lease at inception. Effective with the adoption of the new lease accounting standard, we have established right-of-use (ROU) assets, which represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities, which represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term at commencement date. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate of return, we use our incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. We use the implicit rate when readily determinable. Operating lease ROU assets also exclude lease incentives received. We pay variable lease charges related to property taxes, insurance and maintenance as well as changes in CPI for leased facilities; usage-based fees for revenue earning equipment, automated washing machines, vehicles and office equipment; and hours of operation for material handling equipment. For leases with a term of 12 months or less, with the exception of our real estate leases, we do not recognize a ROU asset or liability and recognize lease payments in our income statement on a straight-line basis over the lease term and variable lease payments in the period in which the obligation for those payments is incurred.

Lease terms for facilities are generally three to five years with one or more five-year renewal options and the lease terms for revenue earning equipment, material handling equipment, automated washing machines and vehicles typically range from three to seven years with no extension options. For purposes of calculating operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities, lease terms may be deemed to include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Macroeconomic conditions is the primary factor used to estimate whether an option to extend a lease term will be exercised or not. None of our leasing arrangements contain restrictive financial covenants. Certain of our material handling equipment leases have residual value guarantees. Refer to Note 13, "Leases," for additional information.

Accounts Receivable Allowance

We maintain an allowance for uncollectible customer receivables and an allowance for billing adjustments related to certain discounts and other customer concessions. Estimates are updated regularly based on historical experience of bad debts and billing adjustments processed, current collection trends, and aging analysis. Accounts are charged against the allowance when determined to be uncollectible.

Inventories

Inventories, which consist primarily of fuel, tires and vehicle parts, are valued at the lower of cost using the weighted-average cost basis, or net realizable value.

Revenue Earning Equipment, Operating Property and Equipment, and Depreciation

Revenue earning equipment, comprised of vehicles, and operating property and equipment are initially recorded at cost inclusive of vendor rebates. Revenue earning equipment and operating property and equipment recognized as finance leases are initially generally recorded at the lower of the present value of the lease payments to be made over the lease term or fair value. Vehicle repairs and maintenance that extend the life or increase the value of a vehicle are capitalized, whereas ordinary repairs and maintenance (including tire replacement or repair) are expensed as incurred. Direct costs incurred in connection with developing or obtaining internal-use software are capitalized. Costs incurred during the preliminary stage of a software development project, as well as maintenance and training costs, are expensed as incurred.

Provision for depreciation is computed using the straight-line method on all depreciable assets. Depreciation expense has been recognized throughout the Consolidated Statement of Earnings depending on the nature of the related asset. We periodically review and adjust, as appropriate, the estimated residual values and useful lives of revenue earning equipment for purposes of recording depreciation expense as described in Note 7, “Revenue Earning Equipment, Net”.

Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the term of the related lease. If a substantial additional investment is made in a leased property during the term of the lease, we re-evaluate the lease term to determine whether the investment, together with any penalties related to non-renewal, would constitute an economic penalty in such amount that renewal appears to be reasonably assured.

We routinely dispose of used revenue earning equipment as part of our FMS business. Refer to Note 7, “Revenue Earning Equipment, Net” for more information. Gains and losses on sales of operating property and equipment are reflected in “Miscellaneous income, net” in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the underlying acquired net tangible and intangible assets. Goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite useful lives are not amortized, but rather, are tested for impairment at least annually as of October 1 of each year, or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate the carrying value of goodwill may be impaired. In evaluating goodwill for impairment, we have the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether further impairment testing is necessary, such as macroeconomic conditions, changes in our industry and the markets in which we operate, and our market capitalization as well as our reporting units' historical and expected future financial performance.

If we conclude that it is more likely than not that a reporting unit's fair value is less than its carrying value or we bypass the optional qualitative assessment, recoverability is assessed by comparing the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount. If a reporting unit's carrying value exceeds its fair value, we will measure any goodwill impairment losses as the amount by which the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit.

Our estimate of fair value for reporting units is determined based on a combination of both an income and market approach. Under the market approach, we use a selection of comparable publicly-traded companies that correspond to the reporting unit to derive a market-based multiple. Under the income approach, the fair value of the reporting unit is estimated based on the discounted present value of the projected future cash flows. Rates used to discount cash flows are dependent upon interest rates and the cost of capital based on our industry and capital structure, adjusted for equity and size risk premiums based on market capitalization. Estimates of future cash flows are dependent on our knowledge and experience about past and current events and significant judgments and assumptions about conditions we expect to exist, including revenue growth rates, margins, long-term growth rates, capital requirements, proceeds from the sale of used vehicles, the ability to utilize our tax net operating losses, and the discount rate. Our estimates of cash flows are also based on historical and future operating performance, economic conditions and actions we expect to take. In addition to these factors, our SCS and DTS reporting units are dependent on several key customers or industry sectors. The loss of a key customer may have a significant impact to our SCS or DTS reporting units, causing us to assess whether or not the event resulted in a goodwill impairment loss.

In making our assessments of fair value, we rely on our knowledge and experience about past and current events and assumptions about conditions we expect to exist in the future. These assumptions are based on a number of factors, including future operating performance, economic conditions, actions we expect to take and present value techniques. There are inherent uncertainties related to these factors and management’s judgment in applying them to the analysis of goodwill impairment. It is
possible that assumptions underlying the impairment analysis will change in such a manner that impairment in value may occur in the future.

Identifiable intangible assets not subject to amortization are assessed for impairment using a similar process used to evaluate goodwill as described above. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their respective estimated useful lives. Identifiable intangible assets that are subject to amortization are evaluated for impairment using a similar process used to evaluate long-lived assets described below.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Other than Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

Long-lived assets held and used, including revenue earning equipment, operating property and equipment, and intangible assets with finite lives, are tested for recoverability when circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of assets may not be recoverable. Recoverability of long-lived assets is evaluated by comparing the carrying value of an asset or asset group to management’s best estimate of the undiscounted future operating cash flows (excluding interest charges) expected to be generated by the asset or asset group. If these comparisons indicate that the carrying value of the asset or asset group is not recoverable, an impairment loss is recognized for the amount by which the carrying value of the asset or asset group exceeds fair value. Fair value is determined by a quoted market price, if available, or an estimate of projected future operating cash flows, discounted using a rate that reflects the related operating segment’s average cost of funds. Long-lived assets to be disposed of, including revenue earning equipment and operating property and equipment, are reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell.

Self-Insurance Accruals

We retain a portion of the accident risk under auto liability, workers’ compensation and other insurance programs. Under our insurance programs, we retain the risk of loss in various amounts, generally up to $3 million on a per occurrence basis. Self-insurance accruals are based primarily on an actuarially estimated, undiscounted cost of claims, which includes claims incurred but not reported. Historical loss development factors are utilized to project the future development of incurred losses, and these amounts are adjusted based upon actual claim experience and settlements. While we believe that the amounts are adequate, there can be no assurance that changes to our actuarial estimates may not occur due to limitations inherent in the estimation process. Changes in the actuarial estimates of these liabilities are charged or credited to earnings in the period determined. Amounts estimated to be paid within the next year have been classified as “Accrued expenses and other current liabilities” with the remainder included in “Other non-current liabilities” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

We also maintain additional insurance at certain amounts in excess of our respective underlying retention. Amounts recoverable from insurance companies are not offset against the related liability as our insurance policies do not extinguish or provide legal release from the obligation to make payments related to such risk-related losses. Amounts expected to be received within the next year from insurance companies have been included within “Receivables, net” with the remainder included in “Sales-type leases and other assets” and are recognized only when realization of the claim for recovery is considered probable.

Income Taxes

Our provision for income taxes is based on reported earnings before income taxes. Deferred taxes are recognized for the future tax effects of temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases, using tax rates in effect for the years in which the differences are expected to reverse.

Valuation allowances are recognized to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. In assessing the likelihood of realization, management considers estimates of future sources of taxable income. We calculate our current and deferred tax position based on estimates and assumptions that could differ from the actual results reflected in income tax returns filed in subsequent years. Adjustments based on filed returns are recorded when identified.

We are subject to tax audits in numerous jurisdictions in the U.S. and around the world. Tax audits by their very nature are often complex and can require several years to complete. In the normal course of business, we are subject to challenges from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other tax authorities regarding amounts of taxes due. These challenges may alter the timing or amount of taxable income or deductions, or the allocation of income among tax jurisdictions. As part of our calculation of the provision for income taxes on earnings, we determine whether the benefits of our tax positions are at least more likely than not of being sustained upon audit based on the technical merits of the tax position. The tax benefit to be recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that is greater than fifty percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Such accruals require management to make estimates and judgments with respect to the ultimate outcome of a tax
audit. Actual results could vary materially from these estimates. We adjust these reserves as well as the impact of any related interest and penalties in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the progress of a tax audit.

Interest and penalties related to income tax exposures are recognized as incurred and included in "Provision for (benefit from) income taxes” in our Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Accruals for income tax exposures, including penalties and interest, expected to be settled within the next year are included in “Accrued expenses and other current liabilities” with the remainder included in “Other non-current liabilities” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The federal benefit from state income tax exposures is included in “Deferred income taxes” in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Severance and Contract Termination Costs

We recognize liabilities for severance and contract termination costs based upon the nature of the cost to be incurred. For involuntary separation plans that are completed within the guidelines of our written involuntary separation plan, we recognize the liability when it is probable and reasonably estimable. For one-time termination benefits, such as additional severance pay or benefit payouts, and other exit costs, such as contract termination costs, the liability is measured and recognized initially at fair value in the period in which the liability is incurred, with subsequent changes to the liability recognized as adjustments in the period of change. Severance related to position eliminations that are part of a restructuring plan is included in "Restructuring and other items, net” in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Severance costs that are not part of a restructuring plan are recognized in the period incurred as a direct cost of revenue or within “Selling, general and administrative expenses” in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings depending upon the nature of the eliminated position.

Environmental Expenditures

We recognize liabilities for environmental matters when it is probable a loss has been incurred and the costs can be reasonably estimated. Environmental liability estimates may include costs such as anticipated site testing, consulting, remediation, disposal, post-remediation monitoring and legal fees, as appropriate. The liability does not reflect possible recoveries from insurance companies or reimbursement of remediation costs by state agencies, but does include estimates of cost sharing with other potentially responsible parties. Estimates are not discounted, as the timing of the anticipated cash payments is not fixed or readily determinable. Subsequent adjustments to initial estimates are recognized as necessary based upon additional information developed in subsequent periods. In future periods, new laws or regulations, advances in remediation technology, or additional information about the ultimate remediation methodology to be used could significantly change our estimates. Claims for reimbursement of remediation costs are recognized when recovery is deemed probable.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

We use financial instruments, including forward exchange contracts and swaps, to manage our exposures to movements in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates. The use of these financial instruments modifies the exposure of these risks with the intent to reduce the risk or cost to us. We do not enter into derivative financial instruments for trading purposes. We limit our risk that counterparties to the derivative contracts will default and not make payments by entering into derivative contracts only with counterparties comprised of large banks and financial institutions that meet established credit criteria. We do not expect to incur any losses as a result of counterparty default.

On the date a derivative contract is executed, we formally document, among other items, the intended hedging designation and relationship, along with the risk management objectives and strategies for entering into the derivative contract. We also formally assess, both at inception and on an ongoing basis, whether the derivatives we used in hedging transactions are highly effective in offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows of hedged items. Cash flows from derivatives that are accounted for as hedges are classified in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows in the same category as the items being hedged. When it is determined that a derivative is not highly effective as a hedge or that it has ceased to be a highly effective hedge, we discontinue hedge accounting prospectively. The fair value of our derivatives was not material as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.

The hedging designation may be classified as one of the following:

No Hedging Designation. The unrealized gain or loss on a derivative instrument not designated as an accounting hedging instrument is recognized immediately in earnings.
Fair Value Hedge. A hedge of a recognized asset or liability or an unrecognized firm commitment is considered a fair value hedge. For fair value hedges, both the effective and ineffective portions of the changes in the fair value of the derivative, along with the gain or loss on the hedged item that is attributable to the hedged risk, are both recognized in earnings.
Cash Flow Hedge. A hedge of a forecasted transaction or of the variability of cash flows to be received or paid related to a recognized asset or liability is considered a cash flow hedge. The effective portion of the change in the fair value of a derivative that is declared as a cash flow hedge is recognized net of tax in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets until earnings are affected by the variability in cash flows of the designated hedged item.

Foreign Currency Translation

Our foreign operations generally use local currency as their functional currency. Assets and liabilities of these operations are translated at the exchange rates in effect on the balance sheet date. Items in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings are translated at the average exchange rates for the year. The impact of currency fluctuations on our balance sheet is presented in “Changes in cumulative translation adjustment and other” in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. Upon sale, or upon complete or substantially complete liquidation of an investment in a foreign operation, the currency translation adjustment attributable to that operation is removed from accumulated other comprehensive loss and is reported as part of the gain or loss on sale or liquidation of the investment for the period during which the sale or liquidation occurs. Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are recognized in “Miscellaneous income, net” in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings.

Share-Based Compensation

The fair value of stock option awards and nonvested stock awards other than restricted stock units (RSUs) is expensed on a straight-line basis over the vesting period of the awards. RSUs are expensed in the year they are granted. Windfall tax benefits and tax shortfalls are charged directly to income tax expense.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings per share is computed using the two-class method. The two-class method of computing earnings per share is an earnings allocation formula that determines earnings per share for common stock and any participating securities according to dividends declared (whether paid or unpaid) and participation rights in undistributed earnings. RSUs are considered participating securities since the share-based awards contain a non-forfeitable right to dividend equivalents irrespective of whether the awards ultimately vest. Under the two-class method, earnings per common share are computed by dividing the sum of distributed earnings to common shareholders and undistributed earnings allocated to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. In applying the two-class method, undistributed earnings are allocated to both common shares and participating securities based on the weighted average shares outstanding during the period.

Diluted earnings per common share reflect the dilutive effect of potential common shares from stock options and other nonparticipating nonvested stock. The dilutive effect of stock options is computed using the treasury stock method, which assumes any proceeds that could be obtained upon the exercise of stock options or vesting of stock awards would be used to purchase common shares at the average market price for the period. The assumed proceeds include the purchase price the grantee pays and the unrecognized compensation expense at the end of each period.

Share Repurchases

Repurchases of shares of common stock are made periodically in open-market transactions and are subject to market conditions, legal requirements and other factors. The cost of share repurchases is allocated between additional paid-in capital and retained earnings based on the amount of additional paid-in capital at the time of the share repurchase.

Defined Benefit Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans

The funded status of our defined benefit pension plans and postretirement benefit plans are recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The funded status is measured as the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the benefit obligation at December 31, the measurement date. The fair value of plan assets represents the current market value of contributions made to irrevocable trusts, held for the sole benefit of participants, which are invested by the trusts. For defined benefit pension plans, the benefit obligation represents the actuarial present value of benefits expected to be paid upon retirement based on estimated
future compensation levels. For postretirement benefit plans, the benefit obligation represents the actuarial present value of postretirement benefits attributed to employee services already rendered. Overfunded plans, with the fair value of plan assets exceeding the benefit obligation, are aggregated and reported as a pension asset. Underfunded plans, with the benefit obligation exceeding the fair value of plan assets, are aggregated and reported as a pension and postretirement benefit liability.
       
The current portion of pension and postretirement benefit liabilities represents the actuarial present value of benefits payable within the next year exceeding the fair value of plan assets (if funded), measured on a plan-by-plan basis. These liabilities are recognized in “Accrued expenses and other current liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Pension and postretirement benefit expense includes service cost, interest cost, and expected return on plan assets (if funded). Pension costs include amortization of net prior service costs loss and net actuarial loss. Postretirement costs include amortization of net prior service credit and net actuarial gain. Service cost represents the actuarial present value of participant benefits earned in the current year. The expected return on plan assets represents the average rate of earnings expected on the funds invested or to be invested to provide for the benefits included in the obligation. Prior service cost represents the impact of plan amendments. Net actuarial losses arise as a result of differences between actual experience and assumptions or as a result of changes in actuarial assumptions. Net actuarial gain/loss and prior service cost/credit not recognized as a component of pension and postretirement benefit expense as they arise are recognized as "Change in net actuarial loss and prior service cost, net of tax" in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. These pension and postretirement items are subsequently amortized as a component of pension and postretirement benefit expense over the remaining service period if the majority of the employees are active, otherwise over the remaining life expectancy, provided such amounts exceed thresholds based upon the benefit obligation or the value of plan assets.

The measurement of benefit obligations and pension and postretirement benefit expense is based on estimates and assumptions approved by management. These valuations reflect the terms of the plans and use participant-specific information such as compensation, age and years of service, as well as certain assumptions, including estimates of discount rates, expected return on plan assets, rate of compensation increases, interest rates and mortality rates.

Fair Value Measurements

We carry various assets and liabilities at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, including vehicles held for sale, investments held in Rabbi Trusts and pension assets.

Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Fair value measurements are classified based on the following fair value hierarchy:
Level 1
Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that we have the ability to access at the measurement date. An active market for the asset or liability is a market in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.
Level 2
Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or model-derived valuations or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.
Level 3
Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. These inputs reflect our own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in pricing the asset or liability.

When available, we use unadjusted quoted market prices to measure fair value and classify such measurements within Level 1. If quoted prices are not available, fair value is based upon model-driven valuations that use current market-based or independently sourced market parameters such as interest rates and currency rates. Items valued using these models are classified according to the lowest level input or value driver that is significant to the valuation.

The carrying amounts reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable approximate fair value due to the immediate or short-term maturities of these financial instruments. Revenue earning equipment held for sale is measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis and is stated at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell. Investments held in Rabbi Trusts and derivatives are carried at fair value on a recurring basis.
Investments held in Rabbi Trusts include exchange-traded equity securities and mutual funds. Fair values for these investments are based on quoted prices in active markets. Refer to Note 20, "Employee Benefit Plans," for further information regarding pension assets.