In evaluating and ranking these sites, BtoB used five criteria: quality and presentation of the information, ease of navigation, design, eCommerce and extras. The "extras" category focused on tools that enhance the user's experience such as e-mail alerts and real-time customer support. With a score of 92, abf.com ranked 29th on the full list of the 200 best sites, sharing that position with other eCommerce pioneers such as Sun Microsystems.

Through abf.com, customers have complete visibility and control of their shipments. In addition to initiating shipment pickup, customers can track their cargo as it moves through ABF's North American system and reroute it if needed. Customers can also prepare and issue shipping documents and view images, such as delivery receipts, online. Users of abf.com now account for more than 80 percent of ABF shipments.

"For over five years, abf.com has reduced the administrative and transaction costs of shipping for our customers," commented Bob Davidson, ABF Vice President - Marketing and Pricing. "During 2001, we've taken abf.com to another level by providing advanced logistics planning tools that frankly are unparalleled in our industry. Historical Reports, Charts & Graphs, OptiPool^SM and Merge-in-Transit empower customers, greatly assisting their supply chain planning and analysis, improving their distribution efficiency and reducing total logistics costs. These issues are significant to shippers. In a survey of ABF customers, 93 percent indicated that Web site technology is important or very important in carrier selection and use."

ABF's eCommerce initiatives consistently have been recognized as best-in-class. During 2001, ABF was named "Innovator of the Year" by Network World magazine, an acknowledgement of ABF's successful combination of its Internet tools with its strong physical presence in the marketplace. Last month, ABF was again named a Web Business 50 Award^TM winner by CIO magazine, placing abf.com among the best 50 of all Web sites in the world. abf.com is one of only two Internet sites to win this award from CIO magazine in both 2000 and 2001.