(FORT SMITH, Arkansas, October 8, 2002) — ABF Freight System Inc.® has announced its 2003 Road Team, consisting of the top driving professionals from across ABF’s North American network. ABF® Road Team members for 2003, are as follows:

Ruben Armendariz, Road Driver, Albuquerque, New Mexico
David Asay, City Driver, Miami, Florida
Wylie Basford, Road Driver, Ontario, Oregon
John Cotton, Road Driver, South Chicago, Illinois
Ralph Garcia, Road Driver, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Larry Green, City Driver, Toledo, Ohio
Leroy Grigley, Road Driver, Ellenwood, Georgia
Steve Hall, Road Driver, Ellenwood, Georgia
David Hughes, City Driver, Salt Lake City, Utah
Arthur Schmeckenbecher, Road Driver, Little Rock, Arkansas
Anthony Spero, City Driver, Stratford, Connecticut
Garland Woods, City Driver, Tulsa, Oklahoma

ABF Road Team members are ambassadors for ABF and the trucking industry, promoting safety and increasing public awareness of professional drivers. Road Team members are selected on the basis of their safety records and involvement in ABF’s Quality Process. These drivers represent the 7,000 ABF drivers who safely travel North America’s highways and city streets every day.  Additional details about the ABF Road Team are available at www.abf.com/about/news/roadteam/.

“Our 2003 Road Team sets the standard for customer care, professionalism and safe-driving,” commented Rich Beaulieu, ABF’s Vice President — Transportation. “Team members have been selected from what we believe is the best group of drivers in our industry.”

The ABF Road Team serves to educate the driving public about safety issues, as well as the vital role the trucking industry plays in our global economy. During their 12-month term, the Road Team members make presentations at schools, civic organizations, transportation organizations and other groups.

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.