UPDATE 2-YRC posts bigger loss on charges, freight drops

* Q1 loss ex-charges $2.63/share vs consensus loss $1.77

* Including charges loss was $4.34 per share

* Economy too uncertain to give outlook

* Shares down 3 percent in after-hours trade

By Nick Carey

CHICAGO, April 23 (Reuters) - No. 1 U.S. trucking company YRC Worldwide Inc (YRCW.O) on Thursday reported a worse-than-expected quarterly loss due to the impact of recession on freight and a series of charges, sending its shares down more than 3 percent in after-hours trading.

The Overland Park, Kansas-based company reported a first-quarter loss of $257.4 million or $4.34 per share, compared with $46.4 million or 82 cents per share a year earlier.

Excluding charges, YRC said its loss amounted to $2.63 per share.

Analysts had on average expected a loss for the quarter of $1.77 per share, according to Reuters Estimates.