Organic Expansion Gives ABF Dual-System Network Coast-to-Coast Reach

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Mar 07, 2011, 04:00 ET

FORT SMITH, Ark., March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ABF® is expanding its RPM® service to the western one-third of the U.S., providing increased shipment velocity to 95% of the lanes between major markets in the West. "ABF's latest service improvements are monumental because they give coast-to-coast reach of ABF's innovative Dual-System(SM) Network, which provides regional service in tandem with our best-in-class long-haul service," said ABF President and Chief Executive Officer Wes Kemp. "It's a proven model that ABF has grown entirely organically over the last several years."

Called the Regional Performance Model, or RPM, parallel regional and national service was first offered by ABF in 2006 along the eastern seaboard. The carrier expanded coverage to the eastern two-thirds of the nation in 2007. The latest expansion gives the network coast-to-coast coverage. "Customers benefit from rapid, dependable regional service in addition to the flexibility, supply chain visibility, careful cargo handling and attentive customer service they've come to expect from ABF," said ABF Senior Vice President Roy Slagle.

Sophisticated operational procedures enable ABF to deliver national long-haul and regional short-haul services simultaneously. "ABF customers benefit from common pickup, delivery, sales and customer service capabilities along with the convenience of one carrier seamlessly providing regional and long-haul logistics solutions," said Kemp. "And customers do not have to make any special notations on bills of lading to select which network they wish to use."

"These enhancements blend seamlessly with ABF's expanding portfolio of strategic logistics solutions," said Slagle. "For example, as ABF has invested in both global and domestic supply chain services, business volumes flowing through consolidation warehouses serving ports have increased substantially. This growing stream of business now benefits from ABF's enhanced network and the flexibility it provides."

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, provides 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).