(FORT SMITH, Arkansas, September 12, 2002) — Kevin Scott Harris, a driver with ABF Freight System Inc.®, has been selected as the 2002 National Driver of the Year by the American Trucking Associations (ATA). Harris is the second ABF® driver to receive this honor in the last three years. In 2000, ABF driver William M. Whim was named the National Driver of the Year.

The ATA’s National Driver of the Year award is based not only on safe, accident-free driving, but also on the driver’s other contributions to highway safety. This award is considered the highest honor a commercial driver can receive.

Harris, a city driver in Albany, New York, was previously selected as the 2001 New York Driver of the Year, having driven 17 years without an accident. In addition, he has placed first three times in state championship driving competitions. In 1999, Harris was named to both the ABF and the ATA America’s Road Teams. Members of these Road Teams make presentations about highway safety to community groups, schools and professional associations.

“With his strong work ethic and attention to detail, Scott Harris epitomizes the many highly-skilled, professional drivers at ABF and within our industry,” commented Wes Kemp, ABF Vice President – Terminal Operations. “Great customer care can be achieved without sacrificing safety and Scott demonstrates that fact day in and day out. We are thrilled with the ATA’s selection and proud that Scott is part of the ABF team.”  

As the ATA National Driver of the Year, Harris will receive a cash prize, trophy and diamond lapel pin at the ATA Safety & Loss Prevention Management Council’s Fall Conference Awards Banquet in Reno on October 1. He will also be recognized at the ATA Management Conference in Orlando on October 28.

ABF Freight System Inc. is one of North America’s largest and most experienced motor carriers, and its performance has been consistently recognized as best-in-class. Over the past two decades, ABF has received the ATA’s prestigious President’s Trophy in virtually every year that it has been eligible. In each of the last 30 years, ABF’s safety ranking has been first, second or third within its trucking category. In 2001, the ATA selected ABF as the top motor carrier both in claims/loss prevention and in security, the first such dual award of its kind.

ABF offers direct service to all 50 states, nine Canadian provinces and Puerto Rico. In addition to its broad service to Mexico, the carrier offers service to 250 ports in more than 130 countries worldwide. Via its TimeKeeper® service, ABF provides guaranteed expedited service for time-critical and time-definite shipments. The company’s Web site, www.abf.com, is ranked among the best 50 of all sites by CIO magazine and top 10 Web sites by BtoB magazine. ABF has been in continuous service since 1923 and is the largest subsidiary of Arkansas Best Corporation (NASDAQ/NMS — “ABFS”).

Contact: Mr. Chris Baltz, Director of Marketing & Public Relations — ABF Freight System Inc.— Telephone: (479) 785-8803. A photo image of Mr. Harris is available upon request at marketing@abf.com.