<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000891092-04-001305
<TYPE>8-K
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>2
<PERIOD>20040316
<ITEMS>7
<ITEMS>9
<FILING-DATE>20040317
<FILER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CENTRAL FREIGHT LINES INC
<CIK>0001085636
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4213
<IRS-NUMBER>742914331
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NV
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
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<FORM-TYPE>8-K
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-50485
<FILM-NUMBER>04674506
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>5601 WEST WACO DRIVE
<CITY>WACO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>767022638
<PHONE>2547722120
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>5601 WEST WACO DRIVE
<CITY>WACO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>767022638
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
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<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>CENTRAL FREIGHT LINES INC/TX
<DATE-CHANGED>19990503
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<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>e17249_8k.txt
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 8-K
<TEXT>

                UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

          Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Act of 1934

                                 March 16, 2004
                ------------------------------------------------
                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

                           Central Freight Lines, Inc.
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         Nevada                         000-50485                  74-2914331
         ------                         ---------                  ----------

(State or other jurisdiction           (Commission                (IRS Employer
    of incorporation or                File number)              Identification
       organization)                                                 Number)

                      5601 West Waco Drive, Waco, TX, 76710
                    ----------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
                                   (Zip code)

               Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                                 (254) 772-2120


                                       1
<PAGE>

ITEM 7. Financial Statement and Exhibits

(a)   Financial statements of businesses acquired.

      Not applicable

(b)   Pro forma financial information.

      Not applicable

(c)   Exhibits.

      99.1  Press Release dated March 16, 2004.

ITEM 9. Regulation FD Disclosure

On March 16, 2004, Central Freight Lines, Inc. announced its expansion into the
Pacific Northwest through the purchase of certain assets of Eastern Oregon Fast
Freight, Inc. The public announcement was made by means of a press release
attached, the text of which is being furnished to the U. S. Securities and
Exchange Commission in Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

The information contained in this report and the exhibit hereto shall not be
deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), or incorporated by reference in any
filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except
as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

The information in this report and the exhibit hereto may contain
"forward-looking statements" that are made pursuant to the safe-harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and otherwise
may be protected. Such statements are made based on the current beliefs and
expectations of the Company's management and are subject to significant risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Please
refer to the Company's prospectus filed on December 12, 2003, and the Company's
other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for information
concerning risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may affect future
results.

                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                  Central Freight Lines, Inc.

                                         Registrant

March 16, 2004          /s/ Jeff Hale
                            ------------------------------------------
                            Jeff Hale
                            Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer


                                       2
<PAGE>

                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.       Description

99.1              Press release dated March 16, 2004


                                       3


</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99.1
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>e17249ex99_1.txt
<DESCRIPTION>PRESS RELEASE
<TEXT>

                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

      Central Freight Lines, Inc. Announces Expansion to Pacific Northwest
        Through Purchase of Assets of Eastern Oregon Fast Freight, Inc.
                         and Reduces Earnings Guidance

    WACO, Texas, March 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Central Freight Lines,
Inc. (Nasdaq: CENF) today announced that it has accelerated its expansion into
the Pacific Northwest through a purchase of selected terminal network and
rolling stock of Eastern Oregon Fast Freight, Inc. ("EOFF"), a non-union less-
than-truckload ("LTL") carrier that operated 21 terminals (six owned and
15 leased) in the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

    Central's President and Chief Executive Officer, Bob Fasso, stated:  "For
quite some time, we have targeted the Pacific Northwest as a region for
expansion because of strong freight flows between the Northwest and our
existing regions and favorable competitive dynamics.  We had planned to
initiate service in the latter part of the second quarter of 2004 in a limited
number of locations.  During our evaluation of the region, we discovered the
opportunity to purchase EOFF's infrastructure and determined that we could
immediately fill out a sizeable footprint in key freight centers throughout
the region.  We believe EOFF offered a unique opportunity to obtain strategic
freight network assets."

    The selected assets of Eastern Oregon Fast Freight were purchased for
approximately $10.0 million, which was primarily composed of six owned
terminal properties.  The transaction is being financed through cash reserves.

    "Our original expansion plan into Oregon, Washington, and Idaho included
six terminals opening later in 2004.  Purchasing control of EOFF's 21 terminal
network in the first quarter of 2004 both accelerated and increased the depth
and scope of our expansion plans.  We believe this more aggressive expansion
offers long term benefits, but will have certain negative consequences that we
expect to be short term in nature.  Principally as a result, we expect
substantially lower earnings for the first quarter than our previous guidance
of $0.12 to $0.16 per diluted share.  The primary consequences include greater
expansion costs than for the smaller expansion we had anticipated and a
significant decline in interline revenue throughout our system, which we
believe is a reaction by other LTL carriers to our expanded competitive
presence.  On the conference call referenced below, we will provide guidance
for the first quarter and full year 2004."

    A conference call will be held at 10:30 a.m. (EST) on Wednesday, March 17
for stockholders and the investment community.  Persons who wish to access and
participate in the call may do so by dialing 1-800-556-3831, pass code 00399.
Please dial in 5 to 10 minutes prior to the start of the call.  A live webcast
is also available at www.centralfreight.com, www.streetevents.com and
www.fulldisclosure.com.

    A telephone replay will be available after 2:30 p.m. (EST) on March 17.
To access the replay, dial 1-888-641-9060.  A replay of the call will also be
available on demand on the above referenced web sites.

    Central Freight Lines, Inc. is a non-union LTL carrier specializing in
regional overnight and second day markets.  One of the 10 largest regional LTL
carriers in the nation, Central provides regional, interregional, and
expedited services, as well as value-added supply chain management, throughout
the Midwest, Southwest, Northwest and West Coast.  Utilizing marketing
alliances, Central provides service solutions to the Great Lakes, Northeast,
Southeast, Mexico, and Canada.

     This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to
certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially.  These risks and uncertainties include the risks of revenue loss
in the acquired operation and difficulties in bringing on new revenue in the
region; the risk loss of interline revenue in all of our regions; the risk
that acquisition and integration expenses may exceed our expectations; the
risk that we do not obtain consents to assignment of all of the leased
facilities; and the risks detailed from time to time in reports filed by the
Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including forms 8-K,
10-Q, 10-K, and our recently filed prospectus.


     For further information contact:

     Jeff Hale, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
     (480) 361-5295
     jhale@centralfreight.com





</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
