PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 26, 2005--Swift Transportation Co. Inc. (NASDAQ: SWFT) today announced it was named the first-ever Outbound Dedicated Carrier of the Year by Rite Aid Corp. This award is the fourth national honor presented to Swift since March 2005 by leading national company customers.
The criteria evaluated to determine the prestigious Rite Aid award was overall customer service and reliability, competitive pricing, and support for driver safety. Rite Aid President/CEO Mary Sammons presented the award to Swift at a ceremony which was part of the annual Rite Aid Driver Skills Challenge.
"We named Swift the Outbound Dedicated Carrier of the Year for many reasons. Swift ranked highest in our scoring criteria and they have demonstrated a strong commitment to safety, performance and customer service," said Wilson Lester, Rite Aid senior vice president of supply chain.
Craig Southard, Rite Aid West Coast regional transportation manager, added, "There is a strong, equitable business relationship between Rite Aid and Swift; they understand our company priorities. Additionally, they had a 99 percent on-time delivery record for us on the West Coast over the last 2 1/2 years."
In addition to the Outbound Dedicated Carrier of the Year award, a Swift driver was named winner, and two other Swift drivers were among the top five nationally at the Rite Aid Driver Skills Challenge on July 31, 2005. Brian Oberg, Swift Wilsonville, Ore., Distribution Center, was named the national champion; Steve Hutton, Swift Woodland, Calif., Distribution Center, placed second; and Marlon Bernal, Swift Lancaster, Calif., Distribution Center, placed fifth.
"We are very proud to be named the Outbound Dedicated Carrier of the Year by Rite Aid, and of our drivers whose skills embody the attention to detail and safety critical for our company," said Les Carmichael, Swift vice president and general manager of dedicated services. "This recognition illustrates the companywide focus on on-time delivery, customer service, and safety," Carmichael added. "On behalf of all of the hard-working employees of Swift, and especially our 18,500 highly professional and safe drivers, we want to thank Rite Aid for these awards."
Swift has received national service awards previously this year from Lowe's Cos. as 2004 Truckload Van Carrier of the Year, and Dollar Tree Stores Inc. as Inbound Carrier of the Year for 2004 and Outbound Carrier of the Year for 2004.
Swift Transportation Co. Inc. is a truckload carrier headquartered in Phoenix. Swift operates the largest fleet of truckload carrier equipment in the United States with regional operations throughout the continental United States. The principal types of freight transported by Swift include retail and discount department store merchandise, manufactured goods, paper products, non-perishable food, beverages and beverage containers, and building materials.