(Fort Smith, Arkansas, August 5, 2000) -- ABF Freight System, Inc.®, is celebrating the fifth annual National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Aug. 12-19, 2000, by kicking off its annual "Appreciate Your Trucker... ABF Does" campaign. This campaign not only recognizes the truck drivers of ABF®, but also acknowledges the contribution of each employee within the company.

Each ABF employee will receive a personal letter of appreciation, along with several complimentary items. In addition, within this campaign, employees will be eligible to win other items such as a personal computer, camcorder or DVD player.

"In the coming years, technology and eCommerce will revolutionize the way we do business," said David E. Stubblefield, President and CEO of ABF. "I have complete confidence in our future because we will meet those challenges with what is clearly the best team of professionals in the industry."

This year, Appreciation Week gets started Aug. 9-12 in New Orleans, La., at the "Superbowl of Safety" - ATA's 2000 National Truck Driving Championships presented by Mobil Oil. Some 350 drivers from all over the United States will compete in the largest safe-driving event in the nation. 13 of ABF's professional drivers will participate in this competition.