Exhibit 10.16 (Amendment No. 9 to Loan Agreement)


    
      

    

    Exhibit
      10.16

    


    AMENDMENT
      NO. 9 TO

    LOAN
      AGREEMENT

    (CVTI/Covenant
      Transport)

    


    


    THIS
      AMENDMENT NO. 9 TO LOAN AGREEMENT, dated as of December 6, 2005 (the
“Amendment”),
      is
      entered into by and among THREE PILLARS FUNDING LLC (formerly known as THREE
      PILLARS FUNDING CORPORATION), (“Three
      Pillars”),
      SUNTRUST CAPITAL MARKETS, INC. (formerly SunTrust Equitable Securities
      Corporation), as administrator (the “Administrator”),
      CVTI
      RECEIVABLES CORP. (“CVTI”),
      and
      COVENANT TRANSPORT, INC. (“Covenant”).
      Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein are used as defined
      in
      the Loan Agreement, dated as of December 12, 2000 among Three Pillars, the
      Administrator, CVTI and Covenant (as amended to date, the “Loan
      Agreement”).

    


    WHEREAS,
      the parties hereto desire to further amend the Loan Agreement in certain
      respects as provided herein;

    


    NOW
      THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the other mutual covenants
      contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows: 

    


    SECTION
      1.   Amendment
      to the Loan Agreement.

    


    The
      definition of “Scheduled Commitment Termination Date” in Section 1.1 of the Loan
      Agreement is hereby deleted and replaced with the following:

    


    “Scheduled
      Commitment Termination Date:
      December 5, 2006.”

    


    SECTION
      2.   Effect
      of
      Amendment. 

    


    Except
      as
      modified and expressly amended by this Amendment, the Loan Agreement is in
      all
      respects ratified and confirmed, and all the terms, provisions and conditions
      thereof shall be and remain in full force and effect. This Amendment shall
      be
      effective as of the date (the “Effective
      Date”)
      on
      which each of the parties hereto delivers to the Administrator a fully executed
      original of this Amendment. On and after the Effective Date, all references
      in
      the Loan Agreement to “this Agreement,” “hereto,” “hereof,” “hereunder” or words
      of like import refer to the Loan Agreement as amended by this Amendment.


    


    SECTION
      3.   Binding
      Effect.
      

    


    This
      Amendment shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties to
      the
      Loan Agreement and their successors and permitted assigns.


    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    


    SECTION
      4.   Governing
      Law.
      

    


    This
      Amendment shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws
      of
      the State of New York.

    


    SECTION
      5.   Execution
      in
      Counterparts; Severability.
      

    


    This
      Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties
      hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed
      to be an original, and all of which taken together shall constitute one and
      the
      same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page by
      facsimile shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart
      of
      this Amendment. In case any provision in or obligation under this Amendment
      shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the validity,
      legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions or obligations, or
      of
      such provision or obligation in any other jurisdiction, shall not in any way
      be
      affected or impaired thereby.

    


    [Remainder
      of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

    


    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    



    IN
      WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Amendment to be executed by their
      respective officers thereunto duty authorized, as of the date first above
      written.

     

    
      	
              THREE
                PILLARS:

            	
              THREE
                PILLARS FUNDING LLC

            
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	
              By:

            	
              /s/
                Doris J. Hearn

            
	 	 	
              Title:
                Vice President

            
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	
              THE
                BORROWER:

            	
              CVTI
                RECEIVABLES CORP.

            
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	
              By:

            	
              /s/
                Joey B. Hogan

            
	 	 	
              Title:
                CFO

            
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	
              THE
                ADMINISTRATOR:

            	
              SUNTRUST
                CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.

            
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	
              By:

            	
              /s/
                James R. Bennison

            
	 	 	
              Title:
                James R. Bennison

            
	 	 	
              Managing
                Director

            
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	
              THE
                MASTER SERVICER:

            	
              COVENANT
                TRANSPORT, INC., 

              a
                Nevada holding corporation

            
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	
              By:

            	
              /s/
                Joey B. Hogan

            
	 	 	
              Title:
                CFO

            
	 	 	 
	 	 	 


    

    


    


    (Signature
      Page to Amendment No. 9 to Loan Agreement (CVTI/Covenant
      Transport))

     

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      10-K