Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. was honored as the No. 1 less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier by Mastio & Company as part of the company's 2012 Value and Loyalty Benchmarking Study.

It represents the third consecutive year Old Dominion has topped the list. Old Dominion is the first LTL company to top the list three years in a row.

To develop its rankings, Mastio & Company surveyed more than 2,000 transportation decision makers about their shipping preferences and needs. Shippers participating in the study graded carriers' performances in 25 service attributes, including quality of shipping service, on-time delivery and likelihood to recommend service to others.

Respondents ranked Old Dominion highest for its courteous and professional customer service personnel and drivers. As a result, customers responded that they were very likely to continue using Old Dominion's services.

'By focusing our attention on our service, we've achieved one of the best on-time records and one of the lowest claims ratios in the industry, and this award affirms our commitment to provide premier customer service,' said David Congdon, president and CEO of Old Dominion. 'We thank our Old Dominion family for their hard work and dedication to our customers. But, our work is never done, and we pledge to our customers that we will continue to strive for perfection.'

'The Mastio Report is one of the most comprehensive and respected studies measuring customer value and loyalty within the LTL industry,' said Kevin Huntsman, vice president at Mastio & Company. 'It is quite a statement for Old Dominion to be honored as the Best LTL National Carrier three years in a row, and we commend them for their commitment to service.'