ABF Earns Second Consecutive National LTL Carrier of the Year Award

FORT SMITH, Ark., April 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second consecutive year, ABF®, has been named National LTL Carrier of the Year by the National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council (NASSTRAC). The company was recognized during the NASSTRAC Conference and Expo in Orlando, Florida, April 17-20.

"ABF is proud to again earn this prestigious award, which recognizes all ABF employees whose dedication to safety, cargo handling and customer service inspires confidence among customers throughout North America," said ABF Senior Vice President Roy Slagle. "ABF people have earned a reputation as the safest, most conscientious, highly innovative members of our industry, and it is gratifying to have their efforts recognized as exemplary by NASSTRAC."

On hand to accept the award was Judy R. McReynolds, president & chief executive of ABF's parent company, Arkansas Best. "Being named the 2011 National LTL Carrier of the Year is indeed an honor. Recognition from NASSTRAC is particularly rewarding since this council represents the heart and soul of the transportation industry through advocacy and education for both shippers and carriers," Ms. McReynolds said.

NASSTRAC recognizes transportation providers on a quantitative scale in five key areas: 1) customer service; 2) operational excellence; 3) pricing; 4) business relationship; and 5) leadership and technology.

"NASSTRAC encourages high performance by carriers through this shipper-based recognition program," said Joe Estrella, director of transportation and logistics network for CVS/Caremark and NASSTRAC's current president. "NASSTRAC leverages this annual awards program to continually encourage performance excellence in various market segments of transportation. Carriers and shippers alike perceive this to be a very credible program through which appropriate industry recognition is given."

The NASSTRAC Carrier of the Year program is co-sponsored by Logistics Management, a leading trade magazine for buyers of logistics services.

Established in 1923, ABF is best-in-class for safety, security, technology and freight-handling. InformationWeek, CIO, InfoWorld, and BtoB magazines have cited ABF's strategic use of information technology as exemplary. ABF is the only six-time winner of the American Trucking Associations President's Trophy for Safety, the only five-time winner of the Excellence in Security Award, and the only four-time winner of the Excellence in Claims/Loss Prevention Award. ABF also is the only carrier to earn both the Excellence in Claims/Loss Prevention Award and the Excellence in Security Award in the same year, which ABF has accomplished twice.

ABF provides guaranteed service for expedited or time-definite shipments via its TimeKeeper® service. Regional shipping handled via the carrier's RPM® Network, providing next-day and second-day shipping. The ABF system stretches throughout North America, with local service centers serving all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Globally, the carrier serves 250 ports in more than 130 countries.

ABF is the largest subsidiary of Arkansas Best Corporation (Nasdaq: ABFS).

SOURCE ABF Freight System, Inc.