(Fort Smith, Arkansas, January 26, 2006) — Arkansas Best Corporation (Nasdaq: ABFS) today announced fourth quarter 2005 net income of $30.2 million, or $1.18 per diluted common share, compared to fourth quarter 2004 net income of $24.4 million, or $0.95 per diluted common share.  Arkansas Best’s revenue during the fourth quarter of 2005 was $496.4 million, a per-day increase of 11.0% over the fourth quarter of 2004.

“Arkansas Best had an outstanding year in 2005 including a 20.7% After-Tax Return on Capital Employed, the highest level since Arkansas Best began using this financial measure in 1998,” said Robert A. Young III, Arkansas Best Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  “For the third consecutive year-end, Arkansas Best had no outstanding debt on its revolving credit facility.  With cash and short-term investments of $127 million at the close of 2005, Arkansas Best remains in one of the strongest financial positions in the trucking industry,” said Mr. Young.

For the full year of 2005, Arkansas Best reported net income of $104.6 million, or $4.06 per diluted common share, compared to net income of $75.5 million, or $2.94 per diluted common share in 2004.  Excluding an after-tax gain of $9.8 million related to the July 2005 sale of three non-ABF terminal facilities to G.I. Trucking Company, full-year 2005 earnings were $3.68 per diluted common share.  Arkansas Best’s 2005 full-year revenue was $1.86 billion, a per-day increase of 8.9% over 2004 full-year revenue.  For the full-year 2005, ABF Freight System, Inc. produced an operating ratio of 90.9%, its second best in the last twenty-nine years, record operating income of $155.6 million and a per-day increase in revenue of 8.2%.

ABF Freight System, Inc.^®

ABF Freight System had revenue of $455.5 million during the fourth quarter of 2005, a per-day increase of 10.2% compared to fourth quarter 2004 revenue of $420.3 million.  ABF’s operating income during the 2005 fourth quarter was $48.4 million compared to $40.1 million in the same period last year.  ABF’s fourth quarter 2005 operating ratio was 89.4% compared to its fourth quarter 2004 operating ratio of 90.5%.

ABF’s fourth quarter 2005 total tonnage per day increased 1.4% compared to the same period last year.  “Throughout the fourth quarter, ABF experienced a positive pattern of monthly total tonnage growth.  Compared to the same periods last year, total tonnage per day was generally flat in October, increased 1.4% in November and increased 2.9% in December,” said Mr. Young.

To this point in January, the average daily tonnage figures in ABF’s total business are trending somewhat ahead of December’s increase.  “I am encouraged by the positive tonnage figures we are seeing in January.  I am especially pleased to see this during the seasonally slow, early part of the first quarter.  However, in the past, the month of March has always had the greatest impact on first quarter tonnage changes,” said Mr. Young.

Total billed revenue per hundredweight was $24.30, an increase of 7.7% over last year’s fourth quarter figure of $22.57.  Total billed revenue per hundredweight, excluding fuel surcharge, increased by 2.5%.  “There has been little change in the overall pricing environment during the fourth quarter.  Pricing by both ABF and its competitors continues to be rational,” said Mr. Young.  “ABF has been able to secure acceptable price increases across its account mix, including those with contractual and deferred pricing agreements.”  ABF’s fourth quarter total weight per shipment increased by 3.3% versus last year’s fourth quarter.  Fourth quarter 2005 total length of haul declined by 1.7% compared to the fourth quarter of 2004.  Increases in weight per shipment and decreases in length of haul cause revenue per hundredweight to decline.

In both the fourth quarter and full year of 2005, ABF benefited from declines in workers’ compensation costs due to fewer new claims and favorable severity trends on existing claims.  These reductions bring ABF’s quarterly and full-year workers’ compensation costs more in line with normal historical trends.  In addition, in the fourth quarter of 2005, ABF was able to reduce its reserves for Reliance Insurance Company excess workers’ compensation claims by $1.4 million because of clarification from the California Insurance Guarantee Association that, under a new state law, certain claims in the excess layer would be covered by the California guaranty fund.  As a result of all of these items, ABF’s workers’ compensation costs were lower by $4.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2005 and by $7.9 million for the full year of 2005 compared to the same periods in 2004

Common Stock Purchase

During the fourth quarter of 2005, Arkansas Best did not make any open-market purchases of its common stock.  As a part of a previously announced program, Arkansas Best can purchase up to a maximum of $50 million of its common stock.  Arkansas Best plans to continue making open-market purchases of its stock on an opportunistic basis. 

Conference Call

Arkansas Best Corporation will host a conference call with company executives to discuss the 2005 fourth quarter and full year results.  The call will be today, Thursday, January 26, at 11:00 a.m. EST (10:00 a.m. CST).  Interested parties are invited to listen by calling (877) 275-1257.  Following the call, a recorded playback will be available through Thursday, February 16, 2006.  To listen to the playback, dial (800) 642-1687.  The conference call ID for the playback is 3970984.  The conference call and playback can also be accessed, through Thursday, February 16, on Arkansas Best’s Web site at www.arkbest.com

Company Description

Arkansas Best Corporation, headquartered in Fort Smith, Arkansas, is a transportation holding company with two primary operating subsidiaries.  ABF Freight System, Inc., in continuous service since 1923, provides transportation of less-than-truckload (“LTL”) general commodities throughout North America.  Clipper is an intermodal marketing company that provides domestic freight services utilizing rail and over-the-road transportation.  For more information, please visit www.arkbest.com

Forward-Looking Statements

The following is a “safe harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:  Statements contained in this press release that are not based on historical facts are “forward-looking statements.”  Terms such as “estimate,” “forecast,” “expect,” “predict,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “should,” “would,” “scheduled,” and similar expressions and the negatives of such terms are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  Such statements are by their nature subject to uncertainties and risk, including, but not limited to, union relations; availability and cost of capital; shifts in market demand; weather conditions; the performance and needs of industries served by Arkansas Best’s subsidiaries; actual future costs of operating expenses such as fuel and related taxes; self-insurance claims; union and non-union employee wages and benefits; actual costs of continuing investments in technology; the timing and amount of capital expenditures; competitive initiatives and pricing pressures; general economic conditions; and other financial, operational and legal risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) public filings.

The following tables show financial data and operating statistics on ABF Freight System, Inc.

ABF FREIGHT SYSTEM, INC.
OPERATING STATISTICS
FOR THE THREE MONTHS AND YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2005

	Three Months Ended Dec 31				Year Ended Dec 31
	2005	2004	% Chg		2005	2004	% Chg
Workdays	61	62			253	254
Billed Revenue*/CWT	$24.30	$22.57	7.7%		$23.90	$22.28	7.3%
Billed Revenue*/CWT  (w/out fuel surcharge)	$21.07	$20.56	2.5%		$21.31	$20.91	1.9%
Billed Rev*/Shpmt	$319.62	$287.25	11.3%		$301.47	$273.86	10.1%
Tonnage	919,760	922,093	(0.3)%		3,574,816	3,561,743	0.4%
Shipments	1,398,377	1,448,782	(3.5)%		5,669,092	5,796,015	(2.2)%
Per Day Statistics:
Pounds / Day	30,156,054	29,744,921	1.4%		28,259,412	28,045,219	0.8%
Shipments / Day	22,924	23,367	(1.9)%		22,407	22,819	(1.8)%

* Billed Revenue does not include revenue deferral required for financial statement purposes under the Company’s revenue recognition policy.

Includes U.S., Canadian and Puerto Rican operations of ABF affiliates.

Contact:   Ms. Judy R. McReynolds, Vice President, Controller
              Telephone: (479) 785-6157

              Mr. David Humphrey, Director of Investor Relations
              Telephone: (479) 785-6200