Heartland Earnings, Revenue Rise in First Quarter

April 14, 2005 10:30 AM, EDT

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ruckload carrier Heartland Express Inc. said Thursday its first-quarter net income rose 15% over last year, rising to $15.1 million or 20 cents a share, compared with $13.1 million or 17 cents a year earlier.

First-quarter revenue rose 11.1% to $118.7 million, Heartland said in a statement.

The company reported an operating ratio of 81.4% and said it increased driver pay by 3 cents a mile in the quarter.

Heartland also said it received 860 new tractors in the quarter.

Heartland is ranked No. 43 on the Transport Topics 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian trucking companies.