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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.5


                            USFREIGHTWAYS CORPORATION

                              OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE

         Pursuant to Sections 102 and 301 of the Indenture, dated as of April
___, 1999 (the "Indenture"), between USFreightways Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and NBD Bank, the undersigned Chief Executive
Officer and Senior Vice President, Finance / Chief Financial Officer of the
Company each hereby certifies as follows:

         1.   He has read all provisions in the Indenture relating to conditions
    precedent to the authentication and delivery of $100,000,000 aggregate
    principal amount of the Company's ___% Notes due ____, 200_ (the "Notes")
    and the definitions in the Indenture relating thereto and has made such
    investigation as he considered necessary in connection with the delivery
    hereof.

         2.   In his opinion, he has made such examination or investigation as 
    is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or
    not provisions in the Indenture relating to conditions precedent to the
    authentication and delivery of the Notes under the Indenture have been
    complied with.

         3.   In his opinion, such provisions have been complied with.

         4.   Pursuant to resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors by
    unanimous written consent on _____, 1999, and by the Special Committee of
    the Board of Directors by unanimous written consent on ______, 1999, the
    terms of the Notes to be issued under the Indenture shall be as follows:

              (i)   The title of the Notes is "___% Notes due 200_."

              (ii)  The Notes are to be issued in, and limited to, an aggregate
         principal amount of $100,000,000 (except for Notes authenticated and
         delivered upon registration of, transfer of, or in exchange for, or in
         lieu of, other Notes pursuant to the terms of the Indenture).

              (iii) The unpaid principal of the Notes is payable on _____, 200_,
         subject to the provisions of the Indenture respecting acceleration.
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              (iv)  The Notes shall bear interest at a rate of ___% per annum
         from ______, 1999 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to
         which interest has been paid or provided for, payable semi-annually in
         arrears on May 1 and November 1 of each year, commencing November 1,
         1999, to the Person in whose name and Note (or any predecessor Note) is
         registered at the close of business on the April 15 or October 15, as
         the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date.

              (v)   Principal and interest on the Notes shall be payable at the
         office of the Trustee under the Indenture: NBD Bank; 611 Woodward Ave.;
         Detroit, Michigan 48226; Attn: Corporate Trust Office, provided that at
         the option of the Company payment may be made by check mailed to the
         address of the holder of the Notes as such address may appear on the
         Security Register.

              (vi)  The Notes are redeemable, as a whole or in part, at the
         option of the Company, at any time or from time to time, on at least 30
         days, but not more than 60 days, prior notice mailed to the registered
         address of each holder of the Notes. The redemption price will be equal
         to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be
         redeemed or (2) the sum of the present values of the Remaining
         Scheduled Payments (as defined below) discounted, on a semiannual basis
         (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months), at a rate
         equal to the sum of the Treasury Rate (as defined below) and ____ basis
         points.

                    In the case of each of clause (1) and (2), accrued interest
         will be payable to the redemption date.

                    "Treasury Rate" means, with respect to any redemption date,
         the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity
         of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable
         Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount)
         equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

                    "Comparable Treasury Issue" means the United States Treasury
         security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a
         maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed
         that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with
         customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt
         securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such Notes.
         "Independent Investment Banker" means one of the Reference Treasury
         Dealers appointed by the Company.

                    "Comparable Treasury Price" means, with respect to any
         redemption date, (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer

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                    Quotations for such redemption date after excluding the
         highest and lowest of such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2)
         if the Trustee obtains fewer than five such Reference Treasury Dealer
         Quotations, the average of all such quotations. "Reference Treasury
         Dealer Quotations" means, with respect to each Reference Treasury
         Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the
         Trustee, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue
         (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted
         in writing to the Trustee by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30
         p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such
         redemption date.

                    "Reference Treasury Dealer" means Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
         Fenner & Smith Incorporated and its successors. If the foregoing shall
         cease to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer (a "Primary
         Treasury Dealer"), the Company shall substitute another nationally
         recognized investment banking firm that is a Primary Treasury Dealer.

                    "Remaining Scheduled Payments" means, with respect to each
         Note to be redeemed, the remaining scheduled payments of principal and
         interest on such Note that would be due after the related redemption
         date but for such redemption. If such redemption date is not an
         interest payment date with respect to such Note, the amount of the next
         succeeding scheduled interest payment on such Note will be reduced by
         the amount of interest accrued on such Note to such redemption date.

                    On and after the redemption date, interest will cease to
         accrue on the Notes or any portion of the Notes called for redemption
         (unless the Company defaults in the payment of the redemption price and
         accrued interest). On or before the redemption date, the Company will
         deposit with a paying agent (or the Trustee) money sufficient to pay
         the redemption price of and accrued interest on the Notes to be
         redeemed on such date. If less than all of the Notes are to be
         redeemed, the Notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee by
         such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate.

               (vii)  The Notes will not be entitled to the benefit of any
         sinking fund.

               (viii) The Notes shall be subject to defeasance as provided in
         Sections 1302 and 1303 of the Indenture.

               (ix)   The Notes shall be issuable in the form of Global
         Securities, and the Depositary for the Global Securities shall be The
         Depository Trust Company.


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               (x) The Events of Default specified in Section 501 shall apply to
         the Notes.

               (xi) The Notes shall have the benefit of the covenants in Article
         Ten.

               (xii) Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the
         meanings specified in the Indenture.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have here unto signed our names the ___ day of
_____, 1999.



                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Name:   John Campbell Carruth
                                            Title:  Chief Executive Officer




                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Name:  Christopher L. Ellis
                                            Title: Vice President, Finance and
                                                   Chief Financial Officer