Document:

<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 10q

                               FIRST AMENDMENT TO
                           PURCHASE AND SALE CONTRACT

         THIS FIRST AMENDMENT TO PURCHASE AND SALE CONTRACT (this "Amendment")
is made and executed effective as of February 1, 2002, by and between TOWER
PLACE JOINT VENTURE ("Seller") and TISANO REALTY, INC. ("Buyer").

         Buyer and Seller entered into that certain Purchase and Sale Contract
dated effective as of January 2, 2002 (said Purchase and Sale Contract herein
called the "Contract"). Buyer terminated the Contract in a letter to Seller
dated January 30, 2002. Buyer and Seller now desire to reinstate the Contract
and, in addition, amend the Contract.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, and for other good
and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

         1. Capital Improvements Allowance. Article 14(a) of the Contract is
hereby amended to provide that at Closing Seller shall pay to Buyer the sum of
One Hundred Fifty Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($150,000.00) as a capital
improvement allowance.

         2. Reinstatement and Ratification. Except as expressly provided
otherwise in this Amendment, notwithstanding Buyer's prior termination of the
Contract, the Contract shall be reinstated and shall continue in full force and
effect in accordance with its terms.

         3. Defined Terms. Terms defined in the Contract shall have the same
meaning when used in this Amendment.

         4. Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in two or more
identical counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an
original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.

                             REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE
                            LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY

<PAGE>
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the
date first written above.

                             BUYER:

                             TISANO REALTY, INC., a Connecticut corporation

                             By:
                                ------------------------------------------------
                             Name:
                                   ---------------------------------------------
                             Title:
                                    --------------------------------------------

                             SELLER:

                             TOWER PLACE JOINT VENTURE, a
                             Texas joint venture

                             By: Murray Income Properties I, Ltd., a
                                 Texas limited partnership

                                 By:      Murray Realty Investors VIII, Inc., a
                                          Texas corporation, General Partner

                                          By:
                                             -----------------------------------
                                          Name:
                                               ---------------------------------
                                          Title:
                                                --------------------------------

                                SIGNATURE PAGE TO
                  FIRST AMENDMENT TO PURCHASE AND SALE CONTRACT<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 10r

                               SECOND AMENDMENT TO
                           PURCHASE AND SALE CONTRACT

         THIS SECOND AMENDMENT TO PURCHASE AND SALE CONTRACT (this "AMENDMENT")
is made and executed effective as of February 14, 2002, by and between TOWER
PLACE JOINT VENTURE ("SELLER") and TISANO REALTY, INC. ("BUYER").

         Buyer and Seller entered into that certain Purchase and Sale Contract
dated effective as of January 2, 2002, as amended by the First Amendment to
Purchase and Sale Contract dated effective as of February 14, 2002 between Buyer
and Seller (said Purchase and Sale Contract, as amended to date, is herein
called the "CONTRACT"). Buyer delivered to Seller notice to terminate the
Contract on February 14, 2002. Buyer and Seller now desire to reinstate and
further amend the Contract.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, and for other good
and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

         1. Reinstatement and Ratification. Except as expressly provided
otherwise in this Amendment, notwithstanding Buyer's prior termination of the
Contract, the Contract shall be reinstated and shall continue in full force and
effect in accordance with its terms.

         2. Extension of Financing Period. Article 7(c) of the Contract is
hereby amended to provide that that the Financing Period shall expire at 5:00
p.m., CST on Friday, February 22, 2002, and the Closing Date shall be calculated
from the end of the Financing Period as so extended.

         3. Defined Terms. Terms defined in the Contract shall have the same
meaning when used in this Amendment.

         4. Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in two or more
identical counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an
original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.

                             REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE
                            LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY

<PAGE>
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the
date first written above.

                          BUYER:

                          TISANO REALTY, INC., a Connecticut corporation

                          By:
                             ---------------------------------------------------
                          Name:
                               -------------------------------------------------
                          Title:
                                ------------------------------------------------

                          SELLER:

                          TOWER PLACE JOINT VENTURE, a
                          Texas joint venture

                          By:      Murray Income Properties I, Ltd., a
                                   Texas limited partnership

                                   By:  Murray Realty Investors VIII, Inc., a
                                        Texas corporation, General Partner

                                        By:
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Name:
                                             -----------------------------------
                                        Title:
                                              ----------------------------------

                                SIGNATURE PAGE TO
                 SECOND AMENDMENT TO PURCHASE AND SALE CONTRACT<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 4.14

                       FIRST UNION COMMERCIAL CORPORATION

                                 USA TRUCK, INC.

October 31, 2001

Mr. Jerry D. Orler
Chief Financial Officer
USA Truck, Inc.
3200 Industrial Park Road
Van Buren, Arkansas 72956

Dear Jerry:

We are pleased to present our proposal for lease of equipment from First Union
Commercial Corporation. The enclosed proposal exhibit contains additional
information regarding this proposal and is incorporated herein by reference. If
the terms are mutually satisfactory, they will be incorporated in an Equipment
Lease agreement which will be executed by the parties.

The lease proposal is as follows:

1.       LESSEE: USA Truck, Inc.

2.       LESSOR: First Union Commercial Corporation or its nominee.

3.       EQUIPMENT, LEASE TERM AND LEASE PAYMENT: See attached exhibit(s).

4.       TYPE OF LEASE: The lease will be a net lease whereby Lessee will be
         responsible for all expenses related directly or indirectly to the use
         of the equipment including maintenance, taxes, insurance coverage, etc.

Should this proposal be acceptable in principle, please sign and date the
enclosed original of this letter and return it to us as an indication of your
acceptance, by the expiration date noted below. As is our standard practice,
this proposal is subject to final approval by our Pricing and Credit Committees
and, as such, should not be deemed to be a commitment on the part of First
Union.

                                       55
<PAGE>

We appreciate the opportunity to present this proposal and look forward to your
favorable acknowledgement of this letter. In the meantime, we would be pleased
to receive any questions or comments that you may have.

Sincerely,

FIRST UNION COMMERCIAL CORPORATION

Jody Roberts
Director

                                            ACCEPTED PROPOSAL EXHIBIT NO.

                                            USA TRUCK, INC.
                                            -----------------------------------
                                                          (Seal)

                                            By:      /s/ Jerry D. Orler
                                               --------------------------------

                                                          C.F.O.
                                            -----------------------------------
                                                           Title

                                            Date: November 5, 2001
                                                 ------------------------------

THIS PROPOSAL SHALL EXPIRE ON NOVEMBER 30, 2001 UNLESS ACCEPTED BY LESSEE PRIOR
TO THAT DATE.

                                       56<PAGE>
                                                                    EXHIBIT 4.15

           FIRST UNION COMMERCIAL CORPORATION PROPOSAL EXHIBIT (NO. 1)

                                 USA TRUCK, INC.

                            PROPOSAL EXHIBIT (NO. 1)

The terms of this Proposal Exhibit are incorporated by reference within the
Proposal letter dated October 31, 2001.

1.       TYPE OF EQUIPMENT: Approximately Seventy-six (76) Freightliner Sleeper
         Tractors.

2.       ANTICIPATED EQUIPMENT COST: Approximately $5,500,000.00.

3.       EQUIPMENT LOCATION: Continental United States.

4.       ANTICIPATED DELIVERY DATE: January 15th through December 15th, 2002.

5.       LEASE TERM: Forty-two (42) months.

6.       LEASE PAYMENTS: Lessee shall make forty-two (42) monthly payments, each
         payable in arrears, with the following monthly payment factors
         according to the month of equipment takedown:

<Table>
<Caption>
Month             JAN       FEB       MAR       APR       MAY       JUNE      JULY     AUG       SEPT      OCT       NOV      DEC
                -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------  -------   -------   -------   -------  -------
<S>             <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>      <C>

Lease Rate         3.87%     3.84%     3.81%     3.78%     3.76%     3.73%     3.45%    3.41%     3.37%     3.35%     3.31%    3.27%
                -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------  -------   -------   -------   -------  -------

Payment Factor  1.65904   1.65717   1.65529   1.65339   1.65246   1.65063   1.63359  1.63113   1.62865   1.62781   1.62540  1.62299
                -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------   -------  -------   -------   -------   -------  -------
</Table>

         The lease rate in this transaction will float from the date of this
         letter until the equipment funding date, based on the change in either
         the 5 1/4% Treasury Note's yield to maturity of 2.77% with a three (3)
         year remaining life and maturing May, 2004 or the one year LIBOR rate
         of 2.31%, as published in the October 31, 2001 edition of The Wall
         Street Journal and as published on the equipment funding date. The
         lease rate in this transaction will float up from the date of this
         proposal until the equipment funding date based on the change in either
         the above referenced Treasury Note's yield to maturity or the one year
         LIBOR rate, whichever is greater. The lease rate in this transaction
         will float down from the date of this proposal until the equipment
         funding date based on the change in either the above referenced
         Treasury Note's yield to maturity or the one year LIBOR rate, whichever
         is less. The lease rate shall be adjusted by .01% for each
         corresponding increase or decrease of .01% in the selected index. Due
         to the extended nature of the fundings quoted in this proposal, Lessor
         reserves the right to adjust the lease rate and payment factor in order
         to preserve its economic yield.

7.       PURCHASE OPTION: At the end of the lease term, Lessee shall have the
         option to purchase the equipment for its then Fair Market Value.

8.       TERMINAL RENTAL ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE: If the fair market value paid to
         Lessor by the Lessee or a third party exceeds or falls below forty
         percent (40%) of original equipment cost, the excess will be refunded
         to Lessee or the shortfall will be reimbursed to Lessor by Lessee
         through a rental adjustment.

9.       DEPRECIATION: For the account of the LESSOR and assumed to be three (3)
         year MACRS property.

                                       57
<PAGE>

10.      EXPENSES: Lessee shall bear expenses related to (i) preparation,
         negotiation and the finalization of documents related to the
         transaction, (ii) out-of-pocket expenses for lien searches, title
         searches and obtaining certified copies of charter documents and good
         standing certificates, (iii) title application, lien application and
         registration fees and financing statement filing fees, and (iv) similar
         out-of-pocket expenses.

11       INDEMNIFICATION: Lessee shall indemnify Lessor against all hazards,
         liabilities, claims, actions, contingencies and risk of loss caused by
         the acts and omissions of Lessee. Additionally, Lessee shall indemnify
         Lessor against the loss of tax benefits retained by Lessor caused by
         the acts and omissions of Lessee.

                                       58

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