ABF expands service into the Dominican Republic

Fort Smith-based ABF Freight System announced Monday (Jan. 3) an expanded Caribbean coverage in response to increased demand for shipping solutions from customers taking advantage of opportunities created by the United States-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, known informally as CAFTA. The Dominican Republic also serves as a staging ground for rebuilding efforts in neighboring Haiti.

“As shippers look to ABF for innovative, global supply chain solutions, we will continue to expand our global reach and develop new ways to help customers excel in a global economy,” Roy Slagle, ABF senior vice president of sales and marketing, said in the statement. “Customers appreciate the predictability and reliability ABF brings to their global supply chains by providing a boutique of comprehensive, end-to-end, single-source solutions.”

According to the ABF release, the CAFTA agreement eliminates barriers to trade and investment among its seven signatories: Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the United States. The agreement opens new commercial opportunities for U.S. companies and U.S. operations of foreign companies with these Central American and Caribbean countries. CAFTA also enhances those countries’ access to the U.S. markets and establishes common regulatory and environmental standards.

ABF is the nation’s second-largest less-than-truckload carrier and provides next-day and second-day shipping through its RPM Network. The company operates in North America, with service centers all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Globally, the carrier serves 250 ports in more than 130 countries.