(FORT SMITH, Ark., March 16, 2006) – ABF U-Pack Moving® is sponsoring a Match Day celebration dinner for graduates of The University of Arizona College of Medicine on March 16, 2006, from 5-9 p.m. at Old Pueblo Grille in Tucson, Ariz. Match Day is the climax of a yearlong process of matching graduating medical students with residency programs throughout the country.
During the first half of their senior year, medical students apply for residency positions by interviewing with program directors. Both the students and program directors then rank their top choices. In February, the respective lists are sent to the National Residency Matching Program headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, a computer programmed to give students their highest possible choice matches student and residency programs.
Match Day ceremonies are coordinated to occur on the same date and time throughout the nation. On March 16 at 10 a.m., members of The University of Arizona College of Medicine Class of 2006 will receive sealed Match Day envelopes with letters showing where they will spend the next several years as resident-physicians. Medical residency programs vary in length according to specialty, from three years for general medicine/family practice specialties up to eight years for specialized surgeons.
"The last thing these graduates need or want is more stress in their lives," said Kay Lynn Clay, U-Pack® business development manager. "U-Pack reduces the stress and hassle of long-distance moving. There’s no need to find and rent a truck. Not to mention driving it and paying for fuel. With U-Pack, all they do is pack and relax. U-Pack moving coordinators help every step of the way. And customers can track their shipments 24 hours a day online at upack.com. It’s a convenient, economic, and safe option."
Introduced in 1997 by ABF Freight System, Inc.®, ABF U-Pack Moving represents an innovative way of moving residential and business belongings cross country in combination with commercial freight. It is a self-load moving option offering the economy of rental truck moving and the convenience of full-service moving. U-Pack has been a choice for do-it-yourself movers, as well as corporate, institutional and military relocation specialists. U-Pack is a safe, dependable and hassle-free moving option. For a typical U-Pack move, ABF delivers an empty 28-foot trailer or small portable container at the customer’s home. The customer has two business days to load. Then ABF drives and delivers the trailer or container to the destination, where the customer has two days to unload before ABF retrieves it.
Established in 1923, ABF is one of North America’s oldest and most reputable motor carriers. Recognized as a benchmark for safety, security, technology and freight-handling standards, ABF has a distinguished record of service. In four of the past five years, ABF has earned either the Excellence in Claims/Loss Prevention Award, the Excellence in Security Award, or both from the American Trucking Associations Safety and Loss Prevention Management Council. ABF is the only carrier to have earned both awards in the same year, which it achieved in 2005 and 2001. ABF earned the ATA President’s Trophy for Safety in 2003 for an unprecedented fifth time. The carrier’s innovative use of information technology earned it the 2005 CIO Enterprise Value Award as well as a spot on the CIO Top 100 Companies list in both 2005 and 2004.
ABF operates an extensive network of customer service centers and distribution facilities strategically located throughout North America. Through this network, ABF provides comprehensive shipping services to all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Guam and Puerto Rico. Globally, the carrier serves 250 ports in more than 130 countries. ABF is certified as an Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) carrier by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as well as a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and Free and Secure Trade (FAST) carrier to and from Canada. Via its TimeKeeper® service, ABF provides guaranteed service for expedited or time-definite shipments. ABF is the largest subsidiary of Arkansas Best Corporation (Nasdaq: ABFS), listed by Forbes magazine as one of The Platinum 400 Best Big Companies in America.
For more information on ABF U-Pack Moving services, call 1-800-355-1696 or visit www.upack.com.
Contact: Mr. Danny Loe, director of marketing & public relations
Telephone: (479) 785-8803
