YRC is the new brand name for YRC Worldwide's combined Yellow Transportation and Roadway network, and the company says it's ahead of schedule to successfully integrate its national networks by early spring.

"Back in the 1920s and '30s, Yellow and Roadway established themselves as innovators, the companies that led the developing transportation industry," said Greg Reid, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for YRC Worldwide. "Today, that reputation for innovative excellence and heavyweight expertise carries forward with the new brand name. YRC expresses the combined strength of Yellow and Roadway, and represents our integration of networks, services and capabilities."

"The visual identity for YRC features the highly recognized and trusted orange of Yellow and blue of Roadway," said Reid. "Customers will still see the familiar Roadway and Yellow marks as we transition branding elements, but they'll soon be able to identify with YRC through customer service, sales and other interactions."

Reid says a new customer Web site will debut soon. Roadway.com and My.Roadway.com customers will automatically be directed to yrc.com in early February, and MyYellow customers will be directed to the site beginning in March.

Since October 2008, around 80 shared service centers have been opened to manage the combined YRC network; these serve as a single interface for Roadway and Yellow customers. Upon completion, the combined network will boast around 450 YRC service centers - nearly 100 more service centers than the individual Roadway and Yellow networks. In major metropolitan areas around the country, the nearest YRC facility will be 20 percent closer to customers, enabling quicker pick-ups and deliveries, increased flexibility and reduced emissions.

As a part of the integration process, YRC also has added more than 21,000 new direct service points. The result is the ability to serve more communities and provide customers with improved transit times and additional access to services.