Dear ABF Customer,
I'm pleased to announce a significant improvement in ABF transit times, including a three-fold increase in our two-day service. In over 12,000 lanes between our service centers, our standard service is now two business days. This means that most of our 310 local service centers across North America now provide standard second-morning service to thousands of new cities, including many that are important to your business.
As a typical example, our Peoria service center now provides two-day service to 30 other service centers and 4,059 new cities and towns across the eastern U.S. Comparable improvements have been made all across our system. And, there has been similar improvement in many longer lanes. In total, ABF has cut more than 30,000 days from our lane transit times and, in turn, from your supply chain.
We aren't merely advertising new standards. In response to your requests for quicker delivery in regional lanes, we have made fundamental process changes in the way in which we move your shipments. For instance, your shipments now move through our distribution centers in one-third less time. Further, our information systems and scanning technology increase the efficiency with which freight is loaded and dispatched.
We think you'll be pleased to know that, in making these service improvements, we have not added any shipping complications or shipment restrictions. Unlike some of our competitors, our new transit standards are applicable for ALL your freight. We've improved our service while maintaining the ease-of-use you've come to expect from ABF.
ABF has always been careful to promise only what we can deliver. For years, manufacturers and distributors have embraced "just-in-time" inventory techniques, honing distribution and reducing inventory. Undelivered shipments are a carrier's work-in-process inventory, and ABF has steadily refined our handling techniques to reduce the time that freight stays in our system. We are able to offer consistent, reliable transit times by a commitment to scheduled service - our equipment moves according to firm delivery requirements, not when the equipment fills to capacity.
Further, ABF has substantially less reliance on the railroads than our competitors, including LTL, TL and parcel carriers. In fact, our percent of intermodal miles is about half that of the other national LTL carriers. ABF intends to continue to reduce our use of rail service and limit our intermodal activity to lanes where the railroads have demonstrated reliable and cost-effective transit times that complement our well-developed over-the-road network.
Also, ABF is expanding TimeKeeper® - our highly regarded guaranteed expedited service. We now offer an expanded menu of transit time options, including coast-to-coast air service. Look to ABF to solve your time-critical, time-definite service requirements. The knowledgeable, responsive TimeKeeper service representatives at 1-800-348-0143 share your sense of urgency and your commitment to meet critical delivery requirements.
Soon, your ABF Sales Representative will provide you with specific information on our reduced transit times to and from your area. I hope that you will give us additional opportunity to meet your transportation needs.
Sincerely,
David E. Stubblefield
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