ABF Drivers Earn Top Spots in National Championships

FORT SMITH, Ark., Aug. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ABF Freight System, Inc.^® is proud to recognize its winning team of 20 drivers at the National Truck Driving Championships, with two drivers taking first place in the industry's most prestigious event of the year.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130830/DA72087)

Drivers Ralph Garcia representing New Mexico (Four-Axle) and Tim Melody representing Idaho (Twins) took first place at the championships that were held from August 20 to 24, 2013, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tony Spero, representing Connecticut (Tank), placed second. Garcia also won the Neill Darmstadter Professional Excellence Award.  

"This is a huge honor for ABF and for our winning drivers," said ABF President and Chief Executive Officer Roy Slagle. "Just earning the right to compete at this event is an incredible achievement and our team performed extremely well.  We are very proud of Ralph, Tim, and Tony and the entire ABF team of drivers who earned the right to compete by winning state championships and maintaining accident-free driving records."

As one of the largest U.S. less-than-truckload providers, ABF's drivers are recognized as some the safest in the industry. ABF has won numerous awards for safety including the President's Trophy for Safety from the American Trucking Associations.

Also representing ABF at the national competition was a father/son team, Travis Gibson and John R. Gibson of West Virginia. They were joined by Steve Smalley, Arizona; Loren Hatfield, Arkansas; Scott Scheuffele, Idaho; Don Nichols, Maryland; Chuck Colin, Minnesota; Ed Beins, Nebraska; Gerald Benavidez, Michael Contreras, Charlie Estrada and Ricky Lucas, New Mexico; Allen McNeely, North Carolina; John M. Davis, Virginia; and Tom Martin, John Dill and Andrew Walston, Wyoming.  

The National Truck Driving Championships is hosted each year by the American Trucking Associations. Dating to 1937 when it was known as the National Truck Roadeo, the competition is known informally as the "Super Bowl of Safety."

As the principal subsidiary of Arkansas Best Corporation (Nasdaq: ABFS), ABF operates as a global provider of customizable freight and logistics solutions. ABF enhances supply chain efficiencies and achieves optimum performance by focusing on specific customer needs and customizing innovative solutions. The company's resource-rich infrastructure includes an innovative Dual-System^® Network for regional and national transportation. Its portfolio of services extends from the manufacturer's floor to expedited and time-definite final delivery. In between, customers benefit from a single point of contact and total end-to-end visibility.

SOURCE ABF Freight System, Inc.