ARKANSAS BEST CORPORATION ANNOUNCES SALE OF THE COMPLETE LOGISTICS COMPANY (NASDAQ/NMS: "ABFS")

(Fort Smith, Arkansas, August 18, 1997) - Arkansas Best Corporation ("Arkansas Best") announced today that it has recently sold The Complete Logistics Company ("Complete") for approximately $2.5 million in cash to an acquisition corporation owned by Dirksen Transportation, Inc. and Robert C. Rains. Mr. Rains is the President of Complete.
Complete is a dedicated logistics company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. For the first six months of 1997, Complete reported revenues of $15.7 million and an operating loss of $2 million. The sale is expected to result in a pre-tax loss to Arkansas Best of approximately $1.3 million, subject to any adjustments in the purchase price under the terms of the definitive agreement. Complete became an Arkansas Best subsidiary as a result of the 1995 acquisition of WorldWay Corporation.
END OF RELEASE
Contact: Mr. David E. Loeffler, Chief Financial Officer
Telephone: (501) 785-6157