(Fort Smith, Arkansas, January 30, 2002) - John Dale, Vice President of Industrial Relations and Safety & Security for ABF Freight System, Inc.^®, will retire January 31, 2002, concluding 40 years in transportation. Mr. Dale has been with ABF^® for the last 30 years of his extensive career.

In the late 1950's, Mr. Dale was involved with the Transportation Corps for the U.S. Army in Europe. He played a part in supplying equipment and ammunition out of Germany to the port in France for support of U.S. Marines in Lebanon. Mr. Dale joined Youngblood Truck Lines in 1963. Upon ABF's acquisition of Youngblood in 1971, he became Branch Manager of ABF's Asheville, North Carolina facility.

In 1972, Mr. Dale moved to Fort Smith as Regional Director of Operations and in 1978 was named Vice President of Transportation. In 1994, the Industrial Relations Department was added to his duties, and in 2000 he was named to the position of Vice President of Industrial Relations and Safety & Security.

David Stubblefield, ABF's President and CEO commented, "We will miss John Dale's wisdom. John has the uncanny ability to anticipate what might go wrong in any given situation. His first concern has always been the safety and security of our employees, our customers and the general public. John has been at the forefront of making ABF the safest, most secure carrier on the road."

Under Mr. Dale's leadership, ABF's safety & security initiatives have been consistently recognized as best-in-class. In 2001, ABF received the "Excellence in Security" award from the American Trucking Associations. In each of the last 28 years, ABF's safety ranking has been first, second or third within its trucking category.

Mr. Dale was instrumental in the inception and growth of ABF's Road Team, a group of 12 drivers that serve as ambassadors for ABF in promoting safety and increasing public awareness of the trucking industry. The 12 ABF Road Team drivers represent the 7,000 ABF drivers who safely travel North America's highways and city streets every day.

Mr. Dale has served on the boards of many industry groups, including the Southern Motor Carriers Labor Relations Association, Western Motor Carriers, Inc. and North American Transportation Employee Relations Association. He has also served the trucking industry through numerous Trucking Management, Inc. committees such as National Negotiations, National Grievance, National Intermodal and National Safety, Health and Equipment.

John and his wife, Bette, have two daughters and three granddaughters. In his retirement, he looks forward to spending more time with family and having more time for golf.

A. J. Phillips, a 29-year veteran of ABF, will assume the position vacated by Mr. Dale. Previously, Mr. Phillips served as Regional Vice President, Operations.