(FORT SMITH, Ark., April 25, 2007) — Arkansas Best Corporation (Nasdaq: ABFS) today announced first quarter 2007 revenue of $422.6 million compared to $425.0 million in the first quarter of 2006.  Arkansas Best’s first quarter 2007 income from continuing operations was $4.8 million, or $0.19 a share, compared to $5.8 million, or $0.23 a share, in the first quarter of 2006.  (See the “Supplemental Pension Benefits” section below for details regarding the impact of settlement accounting charges.)

ABF Freight System, Inc.^®

ABF Freight System, the company’s largest subsidiary, had first quarter 2007 revenue of $407.4 million, a per-day decrease of 1.5% compared to first quarter 2006 revenue of $413.7 million.  First quarter 2007 operating income at ABF was $5.8 million compared to $8.4 million during the first quarter of 2006.  ABF’s first quarter 2007 operating ratio was 98.6% versus an operating ratio of 98.0% during the first quarter of 2006.  ABF’s total weight per day decreased by 5.8% during the first quarter of 2007 compared to the first quarter of 2006.  In contrast, in the first quarter of 2006, ABF’s total weight per day increased 4.4% versus the first quarter of 2005.

“In October of 2006, ABF’s tonnage declined significantly compared to the previous year.  In November, when it became apparent that fourth quarter tonnage would be below expectations, ABF began reducing costs to better match available business levels.  Those tonnage declines have continued into 2007.  However, the expense reduction steps first initiated last November helped better align ABF’s network with existing business.  As a result, lower tonnage had less of an impact on ABF’s operating ratio than we’ve seen in previous downturns or in the fourth quarter of 2006,” said Robert A. Davidson, Arkansas Best President and Chief Executive Officer.  “As mentioned in previous quarters, investments in ABF’s Regional Performance Model initiative increased ABF’s first quarter operating ratio by 1.2 percentage points.  Abnormally severe February weather also added about one-half of a percentage point to the first quarter 2007 operating ratio.”

Compared to the same period last year, ABF’s first quarter 2007 operating ratio was improved by 0.7 of a percentage point due to lower expense associated with workers’ compensation and third-party casualty claims.  The combined costs of these programs in the first quarter of 2007 were in line, as a percent of revenue, with ABF’s recent five-year average.  In the first quarter of 2006, these costs were unusually high.

Total billed revenue per hundredweight was $24.79, an increase of 4.0% over last year’s first quarter figure of $23.83.  The percentage increase in first quarter pricing was positively affected by profile changes in ABF’s business, including a decrease in total weight per shipment and an increase in the shipment commodity class. “Considering the challenging freight demand that exists today, ABF has achieved acceptable price increases throughout its broad base of accounts.  ABF continues to maintain its traditional pricing emphasis on individual account profitability,” said Mr. Davidson.  “Even during a period of reduced business, ABF will work to provide value to its customers in return for a level of revenue that yields acceptable operating margins.”

ABF’s Regional Performance Model (RPM), which provides improved next-day and second-day services in the eastern two-thirds of the United States, is fully operational, and ABF’s sales team is actively marketing these services.  Because we are in the early stages of the marketing effort, RPM did not have a material impact on ABF’s system revenue totals in the first quarter of 2007.  “As we expected in the early stages of this new initiative, costs are exceeding associated revenues.  As a result, for now, RPM continues to affect ABF’s operating margins,” said Mr. Davidson.  “However, we believe that the opportunity for long-term growth of business and operating margins resulting from ABF’s presence in the regional market is well worth the initial investments we are now making.”      

“ABF is finding success with customers once they experience our services on these shorter-distance shipments and realize we are competitive in both delivery time consistency and price.  In many cases, these customers appreciate ABF’s high level of service, the problem-solving attitude of ABF’s sales representatives and its superior cargo care.  As these individual customer success stories continue to build, ABF’s market share in the regional space should become more meaningful.”

During this year’s first quarter, ABF’s cargo claim ratio, a measure of net cash payouts to revenue, was 0.72%.  This statistic reflects additional improvement when compared to the full year 2006 cargo claim ratio of 0.76%.  During the first quarter, ABF handled 99.12% of its shipments claim-free.  Both of these measures are the best in the last twenty-five years.  “A consistent record of excellence in cargo handling allows ABF to develop strong customer relationships that are based on superior value,” said Mr. Davidson.

Supplemental Pension Benefits

Arkansas Best has an unfunded supplemental pension benefit plan for the purpose of providing supplemental retirement benefits to certain executive officers of the company.  As the result of officer retirements, distributions of benefits were made in the first quarter of 2007 and in the first quarter of 2006.  In the first quarter of 2007, as a result of required pension settlement accounting, Arkansas Best recorded a charge of $1.1 million pre-tax, or $0.03 per diluted common share, net of taxes.  In the first quarter of 2006, settlement accounting charges were $8.4 million pre-tax, or $0.20 per diluted common share, net of taxes.  Excluding the settlement accounting charges, ABF’s first quarter 2007 operating ratio was 98.3% and ABF’s first quarter 2006 operating ratio was 95.9%.

Arkansas Best’s supplemental pension benefit plan was closed to new entrants in late 2005.  A majority of Arkansas Best’s officers now participate, instead, in a new three-year, performance-based incentive plan.

Common Stock Purchase

During the first quarter of 2007, Arkansas Best purchased 125,000 shares of its common stock in the open market for an aggregate cost of $4.9 million.  These common shares were added to the company’s treasury stock.  Since January 2003, Arkansas Best has purchased 1,618,150 shares totaling $56.8 million.  Under a program announced in July 2005, Arkansas Best currently has authorization to purchase up to an additional $18.2 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 2007 first quarter results.  The call will be today, Wednesday, April 25, at 11:00 a.m. EDT (10:00 a.m. CDT).  Interested parties are invited to listen by calling (877) 275-1257 or (706) 634-6529 (for international callers).  This call is being Web cast and can be accessed live on Arkansas Best’s Web site at www.arkbest.com. 

Following the call, a recorded playback will be available through the end of the day on Friday, May 18.  To listen to the playback, dial (800) 642-1687 or (706) 645-9291 (for international callers).  The conference call ID for the playback is 4249477.  The playback of the conference call Web cast can also be accessed, through May 18, on Arkansas Best’s Web site.

Company Description

Arkansas Best Corporation, headquartered in Fort Smith, Arkansas, is a transportation holding company.  ABF Freight System, Inc., Arkansas Best’s largest subsidiary, has been in continuous service since 1923.  ABF provides transportation of less-than-truckload (“LTL”) general commodities throughout North America.  More information is available at www.arkbest.com and www.abf.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 Arkansas Best’s Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) public filings.

The following table shows financial data and operating statistics on ABF Freight System, Inc.

ABF FREIGHT SYSTEM, INC.
OPERATING STATISTICS

	Three Months Ended March 31
	2007	2006	% Change
		(Unaudited)
Workdays	64	64
Billed Revenue*/CWT                                  Total	$     24.79	$      23.83	4.0%
Billed Revenue*/Shipment                          Total	$   307.86	$    300.14	2.6%
Shipments                                                   Total	1,334,155	1,396,079	(4.4)%
Tonnage (tons)                                           Total	828,335	879,356	(5.8)%
Tons/Days	12,943	13,740	(5.8)%

*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