What is ground freight shipping?

Ground shipping is an economical way to move freight across the country — either over the road or by rail. It’s also a mode of transportation used with international shipments, where trucks are used to move freight to and from airports and ocean ports. Ground offers competitive advantages including lower rates and more flexibility — with the capacity to move everything from standard palletized shipments to large freight and temperature-sensitive goods.

November and December trade shows happening in the U.S.

According to a trade show industry study, more than 90 percent of trade show attendees represent potential new clients who are shopping for solutions. That’s an exciting situation to be in — especially when you consider that more than 80 percent of those attendees have some authority to make recommendations on final purchasing decisions.

We are pleased to report that most of our service centers in the Southeast US are now operational, ranging from limited to full service, with the exception of Miami. The Miami area continues to see localized flooding, power outages and road closures. As operations resume in all locations, shipping and pickup delays may continue as backlogs are cleared out. Please see ABF Service Advisories for additional updates.

Truck driver appreciation week

According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), semi-truck drivers transport nearly 70 percent of all freight distributed in the United States — making the trucking industry an integral piece in our economy. To honor commercial drivers for their hard work and dedication, the ATA hosts National Truck Driver Appreciation Week each year. The 2017 celebration takes place September 10-16.

Which shipping ports are the busiest?

Manufacturers, suppliers and buyers across all industries rely on container shipping services for importing and exporting their freight. With more than 34 million standard containers available across the globe, it’s no surprise that ports handled over 687 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in 2015 alone. Let’s take a look at the busiest world ports and how they impact your supply chain.  

We are pleased to report that as of Friday, Sept. 1, our Houston operation is open with limited service. With many area businesses still closed due to water, infrastructure and other issues, full service resumption is expected to take some time, and we appreciate your patience. Please contact your account manager for any additional questions.

In 1977, new ABF Freight trailers included graphics along the sides and rear doors that emphasized its long-running ad campaign, “Appreciate Your Traffic Manager.”

White Advertising Company of Shelby, Indiana, prepared the five-piece set adhesives to apply to 85 new ABF Freight trailers before they went on the road.

In 1969, ABF Freight (then known as Arkansas-Best Freight System) introduced a new advertising campaign: “Appreciate Your Traffic Manager (ABF Does).”

The ads appeared in publications such as Fortune, Business Week, Traffic World and Traffic Management. They also appeared in employee publications and memos.

The campaign proved popular, as the advertisement pictured shows.

In December 1970, ABF Freight^® (then known as Arkansas-Best Freight System) announced to its employees the purchase of new cargo heaters for linehaul use. The Customer Service department added 140 new cargo heaters to the system.

In the photo, ABF Freight Regional Sales Director Walter Willard (standing), Customer Service Director Bruce Whittaker (kneeling left) and Operations Assistant Vice President Gordon Watson examine the new cargo heaters.

The propane-fired units replaced old charcoal salamander heaters that had been used for several years.

Each year, professional drivers for ArcBest carrier ABF Freight take part in the National Truck Driving Championships.

In 1999, ABF Freight drivers competing included Allen Sheppard, Tony Spero, Bill Ellis, Frank Motherhead, Bob Suck, John Cinealis and Bob Westbrook. The event was held in Tampa, Florida.