FORT SMITH, Ark., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ABF Freight System, Inc.®, is celebrating the 14th Annual National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, November 1-7, 2009, with a system-wide campaign called: "ABF Employees: Turning Challenges Into Opportunities." The campaign highlights the integral role played by transportation industry employees in supporting the North American economy.

"This campaign recognizes the professional drivers of ABF as well as the valuable contribution of all ABF employees whose dedication to safety, cargo handling and customer service inspires confidence among customers throughout North America," said ABF President and Chief Operating Officer Wes Kemp. "ABF people have earned a reputation as the safest, most conscientious, highly innovative members of our industry. This is a time when we thank them for their individual and collective contributions to the continued success of our company."

During the campaign, each ABF employee is sent a special letter of appreciation and ABF service centers host special events. ABF also recognizes outstanding performance by its employees, particularly professional drivers, throughout the year. Ongoing ABF training and incentive programs for professional drivers are designed to help truckers maintain the highest standards of professionalism and become ambassadors for promoting safety and increasing public appreciation for the trucking industry.

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) reports there are over 3.5 million professional truck drivers nationwide--delivering the goods U.S. consumers need every day of the year. Logging over 432 billion miles a year, trucks delivered 10.7 billion tons of freight in 2007, or 69 percent of total U.S. freight tonnage. "Professional truck drivers are more essential to the national economy than ever before, and they're delivering their loads safely and professionally," says the ATA.

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 five-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 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. Danny Loe, director of marketing & public relations
                Telephone: (479) 785-8803

    Websites:   http://www.abf.com
                http://www.TimeKeeper.com
                http://www.FreightValue.com
                http://www.upack.com

    Contact:    Mr. Danny Loe, director of marketing & public relations
    Telephone: (479) 785-8803

SOURCE ABF Freight System, Inc.