EXHIBIT 10.1

                   AMENDED AND RESTATED LEASE AGREEMENT


     THIS AGREEMENT, effective as of December 1, 1995, amends and restates
the Lease Agreement by and between Russell A. Gerdin, a resident of Iowa
("Lessor") and Heartland Express, Inc. of Iowa, a Iowa corporation ("Lessee")
dated June 1, 1995.

     THE PARTIES AGREE:

    1.    Description.  The Lessor hereby leases to the Lessee the following
described real estate and improvements, all located in the city of
Coralville, state of Iowa (the "Property"):

          (a)  Office building at 2777 Heartland Drive;
          (b)  Office building at 2757 Heartland Drive; and
          (c)  Storage building at 2757 Heartland Drive (north of Office 
               Building).

    2.    Term.  The term of this Agreement shall be five (5) years from the 
          1st day of June 1995, to the 31st day of May 2000.

    3.    Rent.  The Lessee shall pay to the Lessor as rent, at such address 
          as the Lessor may from time to time designate in writing, the sum 
          of $1,410,000.00 in monthly installments of $23,500.00, each 
          payable in advance on the first day of each month commencing on the 
          first day of the term of this Agreement.

    4.    Option to Renew Lease.  The Lessee has the option to renew the 
          lease at the end of the term for an additional five (5) years at 
          the existing monthly rent plus a cost-of-living allowance.

    5.    Use.  The Lessee shall use the Property for general office space 
          and storage.  The Lessee will not, without the written consent of 
          the Lessor, use the Property for any other purpose.  The Lessee 
          shall maintain the Property in compliance with all applicable 
          federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances 
          (collectively, "Laws") including specifically Laws involving
          protection of the environment and worker safety.  Lessee shall 
          indemnify, defend, and hold Lessor harmless from and against any 
          violation  of Law as well as any liability arising from the use of 
          or presence on the Property of employees, agents, invitees, or 
          other persons connected with Lessee.

    6.    Lessee's Obligations.  The Lessee shall:

          (a)  Maintain, at Lessee's expense, the Property in good condition 
               and repair, including windows but excluding the other exterior 
               of the Property;

          (b)  Pay from time to time, as the utility payments shall become 
               due, all utility payments including water, gas, electricity, 
               sewer, trash removal and similar payments;

          (c)  Pay all real estate taxes and special assessments levied 
               against the Property;

          (d)  Maintain, at Lessee's expense, general liability coverage and 
               any liability coverage which Lessor may require as a result of 
               the particular use of the Property; and

          (e)  Maintain, at Lessee's expense, insurance with respect to the 
               Property against loss by fire, lightning, and other perils 
               covered by the standard all-risk endorsement, in an      
               amount equal to at least 100% of the full replacement value 
               thereof, with no deduction for depreciation, and shall 
               maintain, at Lessee's expense, insurance against such other 
               hazards and in such amounts as is customarily carried by 
               operators of similar properties.  Lessee shall name Lessor as  
               an additional insured upon the policies.

    7.    Lessee's Improvements.  The Lessee shall not make any improvements 
          or alterations to the Property without submitting plans and 
          specifications for such improvements or alterations to
          the Lessor and securing the Lessor's written consent.  The Lessee 
          shall pay all costs of such improvements and alterations, shall 
          provide evidence of such payment to the Lessor upon request,
          and shall hold the Lessor harmless from any costs, liens or 
          damages.  Any improvement constructed on the Property by the Lessee 
          shall become the property of the Lessor upon the expiration of the
          term of this Agreement.  Any trade fixtures installed by the Lessee 
          may be removed by the Lessee upon the expiration of the term of 
          this Agreement, but the Lessee shall repair any damage arising
          from the removal of such trade fixtures.

    8.    Waste.  The Lessee shall not commit or permit any waste of the 
          Property, nor any public or private nuisance on the Property, nor 
          any use of the Property which is contrary to any law, governmental 
          regulation or insurance policy affecting or covering the Property 
          or which may be dangerous to persons or property.  The Lessor may 
          enter and inspect the premises at any reasonable time.

    9.    Assignment.  The Lessee shall not assign this Agreement, nor allow 
          any transfer of or lien upon the Lessee's interest in this 
          Agreement by operation of law, nor sublet any portion of the 
          Property, nor permit the use of any portion of the Property by 
          anyone other than the Lessee and the employees, agents and business 
          invitees of the Lessee, without securing the written consent of
          the Lessor.

   10.    Condemnation.  If all or a substantial portion of the Property 
          shall be taken or condemned for any public use or purpose, so as to 
          render the Property unsuitable for occupancy, this Agreement shall 
          terminate on the date when possession shall be required for such 
          use, or purpose, at the option of the Lessee, and the rent shall be 
          prorated to the date of such termination.  The award for such 
          taking or condemnation shall be apportioned between the Lessor and 
          the Lessee, and the Lessee shall be entitled to any portion of the 
          award made for improvements constructed on the Property.

   11.    Default.  Each of the following acts and omissions shall constitute 
          a default by the Lessee and a breach of this Agreement:

          (a)  Voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy, assignment for benefit of 
               creditors, reorganization or rearrangement under the 
               Bankruptcy Code, receivership, dissolution or the
               commencement of any action or proceeding for the dissolution 
               or liquidation of the Lessee whether instituted by or against 
               the Lessee or any other similar action or proceeding.

          (b)  The failure of the Lessee to pay the rent for a period of 15 
               days after the rent shall have become due.

          (c)  The failure of the Lessee to perform any other agreement to be 
               performed on the part of the Lessee for a period of 30 days 
               after written notice of such failure.

   12.    Remedies.  Upon a default by the Lessee, the Lessor may reenter and 
          recover possession of the Property with or without terminating this 
          Agreement.  If delivery of possession of the Property is refused by 
          the Lessee, the Lessor shall be entitled to the appointment of a 
          receiver for the Property by any court of competent jurisdiction, 
          as a matter of right, without regard to the solvency or insolvency 
          of the Lessee, to collect the rents and profits from the Property 
          and apply such rents and profits according to the orders of the 
          court.

   13.    Termination.  Upon the termination of this Agreement, the Lessee 
          shall deliver possession of the Property to the Lessor.

   14.    Miscellaneous.  No waiver by the Lessor of a default by the Lessee 
          shall be implied, and no express waiver shall be extended beyond 
          the default and period specified.  No term or condition of this 
          Agreement shall be construed to have been waived by the Lessor, 
          unless the Lessee shall have secured such waiver from Lessor in 
          writing.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any term or 
          condition of this Agreement shall not prejudice the enforceability 
          of any other term or condition.

   15.    Modification.  This Agreement shall not be amended or modified, 
          except by a written instrument executed by both the Lessor and the 
          Lessee.

   16.    Headings.  The paragraph headings of this Lease Agreement are 
          solely for the convenience of reference and shall not in any way 
          modify the terms and conditions thereof.

   17.    Binding Effect.  This Agreement shall be binding upon the 
          successors in interest of the parties.

LESSOR:                            LESSEE:
                                   Heartland Express, Inc. of Iowa

/s/ Russell A. Gerdin              
Russell A. Gerdin                       By:  /s/ Russell A. Gerdin         
                                        Russell A. Gerdin, President