Heartland Express Earnings, Income Down on Continued Weak Demand
Truckload carrier Heartland Express reported lower earnings and income in the first quarter, a result of weak freight demand and pressure on rates
Despite a tough first quarter, Heartland Express said it has seen some promising signs of life.
Truckload carrier Heartland Express reported lower earnings and income in the first quarter, a result of weak freight demand and pressure on rates.
The Iowa-based carrier posted net income of $11.9 million, down from $14.1 million in the 2009 quarter, a 15.9 percent decrease. In addition, earnings per share were down 13.3 percent to 13 cents, compared with 15 cents a share in the first quarter of 2009.
Operating income fell 4 cents a share because of decreased gains on disposal of property and equipment and increased depreciation expense primarily attributable to the purchase of new tractors during 2009, the company says. Operating revenues gained 0.6 percent to $115.6 million, versus $114.9 million in the first quarter of 2009.
Despite the weak performance, the company said it has seen some positive signs near the end of the quarter, including improvements in freight demand, tightening capacity and stabilizing rates.
"While the company is uncertain if these trends will continue throughout the year it is positioned to add capacity and increase utilization to take advantage of increased shipments if the growth in the truckload marketplace is sustained," the carrier said, in a statement.
More Drivers
When Language Stops the Truck: The Return of ELP Out-of-Service Orders
English language proficiency rules for commercial drivers aren’t new, but renewed out-of-service enforcement has raised the stakes. Here’s what carriers need to know before a driver reaches a roadside inspection.
Read More →
Samsara Launches Custom AI Agent Builder
Agent Studio lets fleets create AI tools for hours-of-service monitoring, reporting and driver support, including agents that communicate by phone.
Read More →
Trucker Path Expands Reserved Parking Network
Trucker Path has added close to 6,000 more truck parking spaces to its Trucker Path Reserved Parking Network with the addition of Safe Truck Parking.
Read More →
EEOC Sues Texas Trucking Company Over Driver Age Limits
The agency says Trancasa USA rejected applicants over 65 and applied tougher driving-record standards to those over 60.
Read More →
Nussbaum, Roehl Announce Second Driver Pay Increase This Year
This year has seen a swath of major truck driver pay increases as freight capacity has tightened.
Read More →
From One Generation to the Next: How Mentorship Builds Safer Truck Drivers
After three decades in trucking, Harold Perry shares what he's learned about driver safety, mentorship, and helping the next generation build confidence behind the wheel.
Read More →
Truck Drivers Need More Than Another Alert
Fleets have more visibility into truck health, safety events, and driver activity than ever. The next challenge is turning all that information into useful guidance for the person who has to decide what to do next.
Read More →
FMCSA Removes 110 Truck Driver Training Schools from Certified ELDT List
Federal regulators also are targeting more than 160 additional training providers and launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers as part of a broader crackdown on trucking fraud.
Read More →
Hours of Service Pilot Programs: FMCSA Readies for 2027 Rollout
Two pilot programs could eventually reshape hours-of-service rules, giving truck drivers options to pause their 14-hour clock or use longer split sleeper rest periods.
Read More →
Medical Cards, English Proficiency Reshape Roadcheck Violations
Medical-card violations jumped to the top of the driver out-of-service list during CVSA’s 2026 International Roadcheck, while English-language proficiency violations appeared among the leading violations for the first time.
Read More →