ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION

ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION

NOTE A — ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION

Arkansas Best Corporation (the “Company”) is a holding company engaged through its subsidiaries primarily in motor carrier freight transportation. The Company’s principal operations are conducted through ABF Freight System, Inc. and other subsidiaries of the Company that are engaged in motor carrier freight transportation (collectively “ABF”).

As of June 2011, 76% of ABF’s employees were covered under a five-year collective bargaining agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (the “IBT”). The agreement with the IBT, which became effective April 1, 2008, provides for compounded annual contractual wage and benefit increases of approximately 4%, subject to wage rate cost-of-living adjustments.

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pertaining to interim financial information. Accordingly, these interim financial statements do not include all information or footnote disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements and, therefore, should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other current filings with the Commission. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (which are of a normal and recurring nature) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. ABF is impacted by seasonal fluctuations which affect tonnage and shipment levels and, consequently, revenues and operating results. The second and third calendar quarters of each year usually have the highest tonnage levels while the first quarter generally has the lowest, although other factors, including the state of the U.S. and global economies, may influence quarterly tonnage levels. Operating results for the interim periods presented may not necessarily be indicative of the results for the fiscal year.

Preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosed amounts of contingent liabilities and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses. If the underlying estimates and assumptions upon which the financial statements and accompanying notes are based change in future periods, actual amounts may differ from those included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.