ABF Global Expansion Reaches Into the Dominican Republic With Door Delivery

FORT SMITH, Ark., Jan. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing its global expansion, ABF® is providing seamless, single-contact door delivery for customers shipping to the Dominican Republic. ABF expanded its Caribbean coverage in response to increased demand for shipping solutions from customers taking advantage of opportunities created by the United States-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, known informally as CAFTA. The Dominican Republic also serves as a staging ground for rebuilding efforts in neighboring Haiti.

"As shippers look to ABF for innovative, global supply chain solutions, we will continue to expand our global reach and develop new ways to help customers excel in a global economy," said Roy Slagle, ABF senior vice president of sales and marketing. "Customers appreciate the predictability and reliability ABF brings to their global supply chains by providing a boutique of comprehensive, end-to-end, single-source solutions."

The CAFTA agreement eliminates barriers to trade and investment among its seven signatories: Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the United States. The agreement opens new commercial opportunities for U.S. companies and U.S. operations of foreign companies with these Central American and Caribbean countries. CAFTA also enhances those countries' access to the U.S. markets and establishes common regulatory and environmental standards.

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 shipments are 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).

Contact: Mr. Russ Aikman, director of marketing & public relations

Telephone: (479) 785-8913

Website: http://www.abf.com

SOURCE ABF Freight System, Inc.