1



                                                                   EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 1997

CONTACT:
A. Mitchell Poole, Jr.                               KCSA
President and Chief Operating Officer                Adam Friedman/Joe Mansi
404/373-4285                                         212/682-6300, ext. 215/205


                     ALLIED HOLDINGS COMPLETES ACQUISITION
                    OF RYDER AUTOMOTIVE CARRIER SERVICES AND
                              RC MANAGEMENT CORP.

DECATUR, GA - ALLIED HOLDINGS, INC. (NASDAQ:HAUL) announced that it has
completed the acquisition of Ryder's Automotive Carrier Group. The completed
acquisition will make Allied the largest motor carrier in north America
specializing in the transportation of new and used automobiles and light
trucks.

Allied announced on May 27, 1997 it had agreed to acquire Ryder's Automotive
Carrier Group, which includes Ryder Automotive Carrier Services, Inc. and RC
Management Corp., from Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE:R) for approximately $114.5
million in cash. After regulatory approvals were granted, and the definitive
agreement signed, Allied completed an offering of $150 million of senior notes
due 2007 to fund the acquisition and reduce borrowings.

"Today is quite historical for Allied and its employees" stated R. J. Rutland,
Chairman. "We look forward to the challenges ahead and the many benefits the
acquisition will bring to Allied."

Combined, the company will have approximately 5,300 specialized tractor
trailers and 121 locations in all states and Canada. The combined revenues for
1996 would have been approximately $1 billion.

Allied Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of several subsidiaries engaged in
the automotive distribution business. The Allied Automotive Group is the
largest motor carrier in North America specializing in the delivery of
automobiles and light trucks. The automotive group transports for all major
domestic and foreign manufacturers primarily from manufacturing plants, rail
ramps, ports and auctions to automobile dealers throughout the United States
and Canada. Allied Holdings' Axis Group, Inc. provides logistics solutions
based on the underlying philosophy of Move, Improve, Inform to the automotive
market, both in the United States and internationally. This involves
identifying new and innovative methods of distribution as well as better
utilizing traditional and emerging technologies to help customers solve the
most complex transportation, inventory management and logistics problems.