ArcBest History
1920s
| 1923 | Founded as a local freight hauler, the company operated in and around Fort Smith, Arkansas, as OK Transfer. |
1930s
| 1935 | OK Transfer acquired Arkansas Motor Freight (AMF) and assumed its name. Became an interstate carrier with the purchase of Motor Express. |
1940s
| 1940s | Operated as a regional carrier in Arkansas, Missouri and Louisiana. |
1950s
| 1951 | Robert A. Young Jr. purchased AMF and made other key acquisitions. |
| 1956 | AMF acquired Best Motor Freight and became Arkansas Best Freight System Inc. the next year – later renamed ABF. |
1960s
| 1966 | Arkansas Best Corporation is formed. System expansion continued with the purchase of Healzer Cartage Company, Delta Motor Line and others. |
1970s
| 1972 | Arkansas Best Corporation becomes a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. |
| 1978 | With the purchase of Navajo Freight Lines, ABF becomes one of 12 transcontinental motor carriers. |
1980s
| 1980 | The Motor Carrier Act of 1980 is introduced, and the trucking industry is deregulated. |
| 1988 | Arkansas Best Corporation endures a hostile takeover attempt. A leveraged buyout is executed and Arkansas Best becomes a private company. |
1990s
| 1992 | Arkansas Best Corporation once again becomes a public company, now traded on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. |
| 1994 | Arkansas Best expands its global capabilities through its own non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) operation. |
| 1995 | Worldway acquisition, which includes the purchase of FleetNet America. |
2000s
| 2006 | Robert A. Young III retires as CEO after a 42-year career. He remains as Chairman of the Arkansas Best Corporation Board. |
2010s
| 2010 | Judy R. McReynolds is named President and CEO of Arkansas Best Corporation. |
| 2011 | Arkansas Best completes the purchase of Albert Moving. |
| 2012 | Arkansas Best purchases Panther Expedited. |
| 2013 | Arkansas Best expands its portfolio of transportation solutions with the formation of ABF Logistics. |
| 2014 | Arkansas Best is renamed ArcBest Corporation. |
| 2015 | ABF Logistics acquires Smart Lines Transportation Group. ABF Logistics acquires Bear Transportation Services. |
| 2016 | Robert A. Young III retires as Chairman of the ArcBest Corporation Board of Directors after serving as a director since 1970 and Board Chairman since 2004. President and CEO Judy R. McReynolds is elected as Chairman of the Board. ABF Logistics acquires Logistics & Distribution Services. ArcBest announces organizational realignment, offering most logistics services under the ArcBest brand. |
| 2017 | Opened the company’s new corporate headquarters in Fort Smith, Arkansas, a modern campus designed to support future growth. |
| 2019 | ArcBest’s formal sustainability journey begins. |
2020s
| 2020 | Supported customers through the COVID-19 pandemic while keeping critical supply chains moving. Opened a 235,000-square-foot innovation warehouse designed to test emerging technologies and develop solutions in an environment that mirrors customer operations. |
| 2021 | Acquired MoLo Solutions, becoming a Top 15 U.S. truckload broker and significantly expanding asset-light capabilities. |
| 2022 | Exceeded $5 billion in annual revenue for the first time in company history. |
| 2023 | Celebrated 100 years in business and rang the closing bell at the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square in honor of the company’s centennial. |
| 2024 | Seth Runser named president of ArcBest after serving as president of ABF Freight. Matt Godfrey named president of ABF Freight. Launched Vaux Smart Autonomy™, building on the Vaux Technology Suite with autonomous material-handling equipment that helps customers improve safety, throughput and operational efficiency in warehouse operations. |
| 2025 | Hosted Investor Day in New York City, where leaders shared ArcBest's strategy and vision for the future. The occasion was marked by ringing the Nasdaq Opening Bell. Judy R. McReynolds retired as president and CEO after more than a decade of leadership and continued serving as chairman of the board. |
| 2026 | Seth Runser appointed president and CEO of ArcBest. Introduced ArcBest View™, a connected digital platform that brings quoting, booking, shipment visibility and reporting into one place, enhancing the customer experience through technology and innovation. Added Tesla Semis to the ABF Freight fleet, supporting ArcBest's ongoing investment in innovation and more sustainable transportation solutions. ArcBest advanced its evolution as an integrated logistics company by bringing its solutions together under one ArcBest brand, creating a simpler and more connected customer experience. |