KANSAS CITY, (May 17, 2005) — LTL giant Yellow Roadway Corp. is attempting to roll into China, becoming the first North American trucking company to operate in the semi-communist country.

The Financial Times of London reported this week that Yellow Roadway is in talks with Chinese officials about either acquiring or partnering with Chinese carriers.

The report says the plans are an attempt to take advantage of China’s booming economy by responding to growing demand from western importers for reliable freight services. The Kansas City-based carrier would target its service at U.S. companies, such as retail giants like Wal-Mart and Home Depot, which are importing increasing quantities of goods from China, the report continues.

Company Chief Executive Bill Zollars was quoted by the paper as saying Roadway aimed to complete its first Chinese deal this year, possibly within weeks, and would likely concentrate operations in Shanghai, before expanding.

In 2003, Yellow Corp. doubled its size when it acquired Roadway Corp. for $1.1 billion, creating a world trucking and shipping powerhouse. The merged company controls more than 15 percent of the entire U.S. LTL market.

— from the Financial Times