[FORWARD AIR CORPORATION LOGO]

                                      DRAFT
                                                                    NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Andrew C. Clarke
         Chief Financial Officer
         and Senior Vice President
         (423) 636-7000

 FORWARD AIR CORPORATION FILES REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR SECONDARY OFFERING BY
                              SELLING SHAREHOLDER

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (October 27, 2003) -- Forward Air Corporation
(Nasdaq/NM:FWRD), a high-service-level contractor to the air cargo industry
providing time-definite service in the United States and Canada, today announced
that it has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange
Commission for a secondary offering of 2,200,000 shares of its common stock. The
shares will be sold by Scott M. Niswonger, Chairman of the Company's Board of
Directors. The offering will also include an option for the underwriters to
purchase an additional 330,000 shares from the East Tennessee Foundation to
cover over-allotments, if any. The Company will receive no proceeds from this
offering.

Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and Deutsche Bank Securities are serving as joint
book-running managers and joint lead managers for the offering. BB&T Capital
Markets is acting as a co-lead manager. When available, a copy of the prospectus
relating to the offering may be obtained from: Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., c/o
Prospectus Department, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179; telephone
(631) 254-7135 or by faxing requests to (631) 254-7268 or Deutsche Bank
Securities, 60 Wall Street, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10005; telephone (212)
250-5600.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These
securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time
the registration statement becomes effective under the Securities Act of 1933.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of
an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior
to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or
jurisdiction.





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