Exhibit 99.1

Transport Corporation of America, Inc.
1715 Yankee Doodle Road
Eagan, MN 55121
Traded: Nasdaq: TCAM

|COMPANY CONTACTS:           |  |                         | 
|--------------------------- |  | ----------------------- | 
|Michael Paxton              |  | Keith Klein             | 
|Chairman, President and CEO |  | Chief Financial Officer | 
|(651) 686-2500              |  | (651) 686-2500          | 

# FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 26, 2005

# TRANSPORT CORPORATION OF AMERICA
REPORTS FIRST QUARTER RESULTS

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, April 26, 2005  Transport Corporation of
America, Inc. (NASDAQ: TCAM), today announced revenues for the first quarter 2005 of $61.4 million, compared with 2004 first
quarter revenues of $62.1 million. First quarter 2005 net income was $94,000 or $0.01 per diluted share, compared with first
quarter 2004 net income of $71,000, or $0.01 per diluted share.

Michael Paxton, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented,
Although the demand for freight was softer in the first quarter 2005 when compared to 2004, we continue to improve our
operating fundamentals. Our revenue per loaded mile (excluding fuel surcharges) increased 4.0% to $1.53 for the first quarter 2005
compared to $1.47 for the same period in 2004 and our average freight revenue per tractor per week (excluding fuel surcharges)
increased to $2,887 in the first quarter 2005 compared to $2,797 for the same period 2004. (The financial tables at the end
of this release reconcile the differences between these non-GAAP financial measures excluding fuel surcharges and the most
directly comparable GAAP measures including fuel surcharges.)

Paxton also noted, We continue to benefit from our strong safety record
 our accident rate per million miles was one of the lowest in a first-quarter period in the history of the Company. We also
increased overall productivity as demonstrated by an increase in annualized revenue per non-driver employee from $611,000 in the
first quarter 2004 to $621,000 in the first quarter 2005.

Paxton continued, Like many of our peers, we continue to experience the
effects of a very difficult driver recruiting market, particularly as it relates to independent contractors. This directly limits
the amount of freight we are able to haul, and accordingly, reduces overall revenues. Total seated capacity decreased 9.7% from
the first quarter 2004 to the first quarter 2005. We continue to take actions to increase seated capacity, including increases in
driver pay, new commitments to get drivers home weekly within specified areas of our network, and new recruiting and retention
initiatives and incentives. During the first quarter 2005, our driver turnover percentage is down nearly 20% from the same period
in 2004 as a result of these initiatives.

Finally, we continue to strengthen our balance sheet by reducing
outstanding debt for the 20th straight quarter. At March 31, 2005, total debt and capital lease obligations were $48.8
million compared to $49.1 million at December 31, 2004.

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The Company will host a conference call and webcast on Tuesday, April 26,
2005 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time. The Internet broadcast can be accessed at the Companys website,
www.transportamerica.com, or at www.fulldisclosure.com.

# About Transport America

Transport Corporation of America, Inc., based in the Minneapolis  St.
Paul metropolitan area, provides a wide range of truckload freight carriage and logistics services to customers in the United
States and Canada. Transport America focuses on providing time-definite and other responsive services through its team of
dedicated and committed employees supported by state-of-the-art technology and information systems.

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company.
The Company wishes to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements which speak only as of the
date made. The following important factors, among other things, in some cases have affected and in the future could affect the
Companys actual results and could cause the Companys actual financial performance to differ materially from that
expressed in any forward-looking statement: (1) the highly competitive conditions that currently exist in the Companys
market and the Companys ability to compete, (2) the Companys ability to recruit, train, and retain qualified drivers,
(3) increases in fuel prices, and the Companys ability to recover these costs from its customers, (4) the impact of
environmental standards and regulations on new revenue equipment, (5) changes in governmental regulations applicable to the
Companys operations, (6) adverse weather conditions, (7) accidents, (8) the financing and resale market for used revenue
equipment, (9) changes in interest rates, (10) cost of liability insurance coverage, and (11) downturns in general economic
conditions affecting the Company and its customers. The foregoing list should not be construed as exhaustive and the Company
disclaims any obligation subsequently to revise or update any previously made forward-looking statements. Unanticipated events are
likely to occur.

# Financial Tables to Follow...

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# TRANSPORT CORPORATION OF AMERICA, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS
Three Months Ended March 31, 2005 and 2004
(In Thousands, Except Share and Per Share Amounts)
Unaudited

|                                           | Three Months
|------------------------------------------ | ------------
|
|                                           |             
|
|                                           |             
|Operating revenues                         |             
|                                          
|Operating expenses:                        |             
|Salaries, wages, and benefits              |             
|Fuel, maintenance, and other expense       |             
|Purchased transportation                   |             
|Revenue equipment leases                   |             
|Depreciation and amortization              |             
|Insurance, claims, and damage              |             
|Taxes and licenses                         |             
|Communication                              |             
|Other general and administrative           |             
|                                           |             
|Total operating expenses                   |             
|                                           |             
|                                          
|Operating income                           |             
|                                          
|Interest expense, net                      |             
|                                           |             
|Earnings (loss) before income taxes        |             
|                                           |             
|Income tax provision (benefit)             |             
|                                           |             
|Net earning (loss)                         |             
|                                           |             
|                                          
|Earnings (loss) per common share  basic   |             
|                                           |             
|                                          
|Earnings (loss) per common share  diluted |             
|                                           |             
|                                          
|Average common shares outstanding          |             
|Basic                                      |             
|Diluted                                    |             

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# TRANSPORT CORPORATION OF AMERICA, INC.
BALANCE SHEET
March 31, 2005 and 2004
(In Thousands)
Unaudited

|ASSETS                                           
|-------------------------------------------------
|                                                 
|
|                                                 
|Current Assets:                                  
|Cash and cash equivalents                        
|Trade receivables, net of allowances             
|Other receivables                                
|Operating supplies                               
|Deferred income taxes                            
|Prepaid expenses                                 
|                                                 
|Total Current Assets                             
|                                                 
|Revenue Equipment, At Cost                       
|Less: accumulated depreciation                   
|                                                 
|Revenue Equipment, Net                           
|                                                 
|Property and Other Equipment:                    
|Land, buildings, and improvements                
|Other equipment and leasehold improvements       
|Less: accumulated depreciation                   
|                                                 
|Property and Other Equipment, Net                
|                                                 
|                                                 
|Revenue, Property and Other Equipment, Net       
|                                                 
|Other Assets, Net                                
|                                                 
|Total Assets                                     
|                                                 
|                                                 
|LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY             
|                                                 
|
|                                                 
|Current Liabilities:                             
|Current maturities of Long Term Debt             
|Current maturities of Capital Lease Obligations  
|Accounts payable                                 
|Checks issued in excess of cash balances         
|Due to independent contractors                   
|Accrued expenses                                 
|                                                 
|Total Current Liabilities                        
|                                                 
|Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligations       
|Long-term debt less current maturities           
|Capital lease obligations less current maturities
|                                                 
|                                                 
|Deferred Income Taxes                            
|                                                 
|Shareholders Equity:                            
|Common stock                                     
|Additional paid-in capital                       
|Retained earnings                                
|                                                 
|Total Shareholders Equity                       
|                                                 
|                                                 
|Total Liabilities and Equity                     
|                                                 

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# TRANSPORT CORPORATION OF AMERICA, INC.
Selected Consolidated Financial and Operating Data
Three Months Ended March 31, 2005 and 2004

|                                             | Three Months
|-------------------------------------------- | ------------
|                                             |             
|
|                                             |             
|Operating Statistics                         |             
|Company tractors, seated                     |             
|Company tractors, other                      |             
|Independent contractor                       |             
|                                             |             
|Total tractors (at end of period)            |             
|Trailers (at end of period)                  |             
|                                            
|Average company tractors in service          |             
|Total loaded miles (000s)                   |             
|Total miles (000s)                          |             
|                                            
|Freight revenue per tractor per week*        |             
|Fuel surcharge per tractor per week          |             
|                                             |             
|Operating revenue per tractor per week       |             
|                                             |             
|                                            
|Freight revenues per loaded mile*            |             
|Fuel surcharge per loaded mile               |             
|                                             |             
|Operating revenues per loaded mile           |             
|                                             |             
|                                            
|Freight revenues per mile*                   |             
|Fuel surcharge per mile                      |             
|                                             |             
|Operating revenues per mile                  |             
|                                             |             
|                                            
|Average empty mile percentage                |             
|Average length of haul, all miles            |             
|Average annual revenues per non-             |             
|driver employee (000s)                      |             
|                                            
|Financial Data(000s)                        |             
|Freight revenue (excluding fuel surcharge)   |             
|Fuel surcharge revenue                       |             
|                                             |             
|Operating revenue (including fuel surcharge) |             
|Logistics and other revenue                  |             
|                                             |             
|Total revenue                                |             
|                                             |             
|                                            
|Capital expenditures, net of proceeds        |             
|Total debt and capital lease obligations     |             
|                                            
|* Excluding fuel surcharge                   |             

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