ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
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 Organization and Description of Business ArcBest Corporation® (the “Company”) is the parent holding company of businesses providing freight transportation services and logistics solutions. The Company’s principal operations are conducted through its Freight Transportation (ABF Freight®) segment, which consists of ABF Freight System, Inc. and certain other subsidiaries. The Company’s other reportable operating segments are the following asset-light logistics businesses: Premium Logistics (Panther), Transportation Management (ABF Logistics®), Emergency & Preventative Maintenance (FleetNet), and Household Goods Moving Services (ABF Moving®). References to the Company in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are primarily to the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. ABF Freight represented approximately 71% of the Company’s 2015 revenues before other revenues and intercompany eliminations. As of December 2015, approximately 77% of ABF Freight’s employees were covered under a collective bargaining agreement, the ABF National Master Freight Agreement (the “ABF NMFA”), with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (the “IBT”) which extends through March 31, 2018. The ABF NMFA included a 7% wage rate reduction upon the November 3, 2013 implementation date, followed by wage rate increases of 2% on July 1 in each of the next three years, which began in 2014, and a 2.5% increase on July 1, 2017; a one‑week reduction in annual compensated vacation effective for employee anniversary dates on or after April 1, 2013; the option to expand the use of purchased transportation; and increased flexibility in labor work rules. The ABF NMFA and the related supplemental agreements provide for continued contributions to various multiemployer health, welfare, and pension plans maintained for the benefit of ABF Freight’s employees who are members of the IBT. The estimated net effect of the November 3, 2013 wage rate reduction and the benefit rate increase which was applied retroactively to August 1, 2013 was an initial reduction of approximately 4% to the combined total contractual wage and benefit rate under the ABF NMFA. Following the initial reduction, the combined contractual wage and benefit contribution rate under the ABF NMFA is estimated to increase approximately 2.5% to 3.0% on a compounded annual basis throughout the contract period which extends through March 31, 2018. On December 1, 2015, ABF Logistics acquired Bear Transportation Services, L.P. (“Bear”), a private, non-asset truckload brokerage firm, for net cash consideration of $24.6 million (subject to post-closing adjustments). On January 2, 2015, ABF Logistics acquired Smart Lines Transportation Group, LLC (“Smart Lines”), a privately‑owned truckload brokerage firm, for net cash consideration of $5.2 million. On April 30, 2014, the Company acquired a privately-owned business which is reported within the FleetNet reporting segment for net cash consideration of $2.6 million. On May 31, 2013, the Company acquired a privately-owned business which is included in the ABF Moving segment for net cash consideration of $4.1 million. As these acquired businesses are not significant to the Company’s consolidated operating results and financial condition, pro forma financial information and the purchase price allocations of acquired assets and liabilities have not been presented. The results of the acquired operations subsequent to the respective acquisition dates have been included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. The Company is in the process of making a final determination of acquired assets and liabilities for the Bear transaction and the provisional measurements are subject to change during the measurement period. Financial Statement Presentation Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. Segment Information: The Company uses the “management approach” for determining its reportable segment information. The management approach is based on the way management organizes the reportable segments within the Company for making operating decisions and assessing performance. See Note M for further discussion of segment reporting. Use of Estimates: The 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 amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual amounts may differ from those estimates. Reclassifications: Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year’s consolidated balance sheet to conform to the current year presentation. Book overdrafts (which represent checks issued that are later funded when cleared through banks) previously reported in a separate line on the consolidated balance sheets titled “Bank overdraft and drafts payable” have been reclassified to “Accounts payable.” There was no impact on total current liabilities as a result of the reclassification.

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

Organization and Description of Business

ArcBest Corporation® (the “Company”) is the parent holding company of businesses providing freight transportation services and logistics solutions. The Company’s principal operations are conducted through its Freight Transportation (ABF Freight®) segment, which consists of ABF Freight System, Inc. and certain other subsidiaries. The Company’s other reportable operating segments are the following asset-light logistics businesses: Premium Logistics (Panther), Transportation Management (ABF Logistics®), Emergency & Preventative Maintenance (FleetNet), and Household Goods Moving Services (ABF Moving®). References to the Company in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are primarily to the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

ABF Freight represented approximately 71% of the Company’s 2015 revenues before other revenues and intercompany eliminations. As of December 2015, approximately 77% of ABF Freight’s employees were covered under a collective bargaining agreement, the ABF National Master Freight Agreement (the “ABF NMFA”), with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (the “IBT”) which extends through March 31, 2018. The ABF NMFA included a 7% wage rate reduction upon the November 3, 2013 implementation date, followed by wage rate increases of 2% on July 1 in each of the next three years, which began in 2014, and a 2.5% increase on July 1, 2017; a one‑week reduction in annual compensated vacation effective for employee anniversary dates on or after April 1, 2013; the option to expand the use of purchased transportation; and increased flexibility in labor work rules. The ABF NMFA and the related supplemental agreements provide for continued contributions to various multiemployer health, welfare, and pension plans maintained for the benefit of ABF Freight’s employees who are members of the IBT. The estimated net effect of the November 3, 2013 wage rate reduction and the benefit rate increase which was applied retroactively to August 1, 2013 was an initial reduction of approximately 4% to the combined total contractual wage and benefit rate under the ABF NMFA. Following the initial reduction, the combined contractual wage and benefit contribution rate under the ABF NMFA is estimated to increase approximately 2.5% to 3.0% on a compounded annual basis throughout the contract period which extends through March 31, 2018.

On December 1, 2015, ABF Logistics acquired Bear Transportation Services, L.P. (“Bear”), a private, non-asset truckload brokerage firm, for net cash consideration of $24.6 million (subject to post-closing adjustments). On January 2, 2015, ABF Logistics acquired Smart Lines Transportation Group, LLC (“Smart Lines”), a privately‑owned truckload brokerage firm, for net cash consideration of $5.2 million. On April 30, 2014, the Company acquired a privately-owned business which is reported within the FleetNet reporting segment for net cash consideration of $2.6 million. On May 31, 2013, the Company acquired a privately-owned business which is included in the ABF Moving segment for net cash consideration of $4.1 million. As these acquired businesses are not significant to the Company’s consolidated operating results and financial condition, pro forma financial information and the purchase price allocations of acquired assets and liabilities have not been presented. The results of the acquired operations subsequent to the respective acquisition dates have been included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. The Company is in the process of making a final determination of acquired assets and liabilities for the Bear transaction and the provisional measurements are subject to change during the measurement period.

Financial Statement Presentation

Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

Segment Information: The Company uses the “management approach” for determining its reportable segment information. The management approach is based on the way management organizes the reportable segments within the Company for making operating decisions and assessing performance. See Note M for further discussion of segment reporting.

Use of Estimates: The 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 amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual amounts may differ from those estimates.

Reclassifications: Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year’s consolidated balance sheet to conform to the current year presentation. Book overdrafts (which represent checks issued that are later funded when cleared through banks) previously reported in a separate line on the consolidated balance sheets titled “Bank overdraft and drafts payable” have been reclassified to “Accounts payable.” There was no impact on total current liabilities as a result of the reclassification.