Quality regional less-than-truckload carriers go beyond the call of duty every day in serving shippers. More than one reader taking our survey echoed that sentiment in the comment section of the questionnaire. "Flexibility when changes need to be made either before pickup or delivery" is how one anonymous reader described the characteristic that makes one regional trucker superior to another. Commented another reader: "We look for carriers that are willing to work with our company in meeting the specific needs of our customers."

Readers' remarks also reinforced the importance of on-time performance as the decisive factor that shippers want in a quality LTL carrier. "Transit times are critical," wrote one director of transportation. "We constantly evaluate and change carriers as their service times change." Added another transportation pro: "Dependability is the number one factor."

Fourteen regional LTL carriers picked up gold medals in the Quest for Quality this year—one less than last year. In the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic category, four regional transportation providers were cited for service excellence by survey takers. Earning praise were Pitt Ohio Express, A. Duie Pyle, New Penn Motor Express, and Ward Trucking. All of those carriers also won honors last year.

The average weighted score for Northeast/Mid-Atlantic regional carriers inched ahead of last year's rating, nudging up from 33.63 to 33.64. Marks pulled ahead of last year's pace in four of the five categories that the survey measured to determine the winners. On-time performance moved from 10.82 in 2003 to 10.93 this year; information technology rose from 3.98 to 4.01, customer service jumped from 6.30 to 6.49, and equipment and operations improved from 4.06 to 4.30. Only value hit a slick patch, skidding from 8.47 in 2003 to 7.91 this year.

In the Midwest/North Central region, two truckers claimed winners' laurels. Con-Way Central Express and USF Holland pulled ahead of their competition to achieve top rankings. Both of those carriers also won awards last year.

The weighted average score moved a little above last year's results, as the composite tally for Midwest/North Central carriers rose from 33.13 last year to 33.31.

Category counts moved forward for three of the five attributes. On-time performance edged up from 10.62 to 10.78. Customer service, meanwhile, moved up from 6.04 to 6.20, while equipment and operations increased from 4.01 to 4.22. The value rating, however, slipped from 8.24 to 8.00, and information technology lagged a bit, dropping from 4.22 to 4.11.

In the South/South Central category, as they did last year, readers handed excellence awards to the following carriers: Southeastern Freight Lines, Averitt Express, and AAA Cooper Transportation. Joining those three carriers in the diamond lane for quality this year was Con-Way Southern Express.

The composite score for the South/South Central category veered off-course, however, declining from 33.29 last year to 32.58 in this year's survey. Only the rating for equipment and operations got some traction, steaming ahead from 4.01 to 4.41.

The score for customer service stayed exactly the same as last year's number, at 6.38. The rating for performance backed up just a bit from 10.44 to 10.43. The overall value rating, however, hit a bump in the road and spun out, crashing from 8.27 to 7.65. The ranking for information technology saw a similar decline, dropping from 4.19 to 3.71.

Way out West, four carriers in the Western regional category pulled ahead of their competition to receive quality awards. Last year's winners, USF Reddaway, Lynden Transport, and Con-Way Western Express, once again earned laurels from our readers. They were joined this year by Oak Harbor Freight Lines.

Ratings for Western LTL truckers as a group, however, took a wrong turn. The average weighted score slowed from 32.85 to 32.40. In addition, grades only improved in three of the five categories.

The Western contingent's rating for on-time performance crept forward from 10.13 to 10.14. Customer service, meanwhile, inched up from 6.40 to 6.42, while equipment and operations skipped forward from 3.53 to 4.13.

Despite that progress, however, readers' assessment of Western regionals' overall value rolled back downhill from 8.29 to 7.85. Information technology also threw it into reverse, plunging from 4.50 to 3.86.