Need faster LCL shipping?

If you need fast delivery for your international freight, you might be considering full-container load (FCL) shipping. FCL is often seen as a fast shipping option because the freight isn’t sorted at the port and travels directly to its destination. But what if you don’t have enough freight to fill a 20-foot container? Less-than-container load (LCL) shipping is normally the most cost-effective option for small shipments, but it isn’t known for being fast. So, what’s the solution?

In 1935, Fort Smith, Arkansas-based OK Transfer & Storage acquired Arkansas Motor Freight and assumed its name. OK Transfer and Arkansas Motor Freight are the predecessors of today’s ArcBest.

The original Arkansas Motor Freight trucks were C-40 International trucks, with trailers manufactured in Fort Smith. The truck length was 22 feet, with a payload of 18,000 pounds.

Options for shipping temperature-control items

Not all temperature-sensitive freight is the same — some items require simple safeguarding against atmospheric conditions while others need high-level security and enhanced visibility. But no matter the freight type, the shipper primarily needs the shipment to maintain its value during transit. So, how do transportation providers ensure shipments will deliver safely and securely? ArcBest^® offers two solutions: temperature controlled and temperature validated.

In 1962, an advertisement for Arkansas-Best Freight System Inc., known today as ArcBest, touted the company as “America’s Favorite LTLers.”

It also included a map that showed the locations of “our 42 hustling, bustling” service centers.

An advertisement in 1962 touted company growth and the opening of a new service center.

Sustainable transportation insight and eco-friendly initiatives

When you combine increasing concerns about environmental preservation with the challenges companies face attempting to conserve costs, green transportation and sustainable mobility become relevant topics. Because trucks alone account for 57 percent of global freight emissions, transportation and logistics service providers are tasked with minimizing their ecological impact — while also maintaining economical business practices.

In late 1973, ArcBest carrier ABF Freight opened a new service center in Memphis, Tennessee.

At an open house for employees and families, employees posed with “one of three 2740 machines in the new terminal,” according to a handwritten note on the photo.

The ABF Freight^® Road Team represents the best of professional drivers for ArcBest carrier ABF Freight. They serve as ambassadors for ABF Freight and the trucking industry. We believe ABF Freight drivers can contribute significantly to enhancing the public image of the trucking industry and the people who move freight.

June 2017 trade shows in the U.S.

Hardware and construction expos, educational conferences, and cooking and baking seminars highlight the June trade show market. Trade shows offer a range of professional benefits and are a great time to network with potential clients, learn from industry leaders and promote a new product. If you’re planning to attend a show this summer, review our list of the top trade shows scheduled for June. We’ve compiled information about all the important details you might need to start planning your trip.

When a customer calls U-Pack^®, a service of ArcBest℠, to discuss options for their household move, a team of knowledgeable sales consultants works to find the best solution. A recent customer sent a message to the U-Pack team detailing his positive experience with U-Pack.

The customer was moving from Nebraska to Illinois, which was a very stressful time for his family. He called U-Pack multiple times to ask questions and discuss his options.

In September 1959, ArcBest (then known as Arkansas-Best Freight System Inc.) purchased Healzer Cartage Company of Kansas City, Missouri.

The purchase gave ArcBest authority into the Kansas and Milwaukee areas, adding about 1,800 franchise miles to the carrier’s authority. “Now we can also offer one-line freight service between our Ohio points and Kansas and between Kansas City and Chicago and Milwaukee without intermediate handling,” said Robert A. Young Jr., president of Arkansas-Best Freight System.