SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

                         PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


          Date of Report (Date of earliest event report): May 10, 2001


                             HEARTLAND EXPRESS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                        Commission File Number - 0-15087


              NEVADA                                          93-0926999
(State of other Jurisdiction                             (IRS Employer ID No.)
       of Incorporation)

 2777 HEARTLAND DRIVE, CORALVILLE, IOWA                          52241
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                       (Zip Code)



        Registrant's Telephone Number (including area code): 319-545-2728








ITEM 5.  Other Events.


     On May 10, 2001,  the Board of Directors of Heartland  Express,  Inc.  (the
"Company")  declared a 25% stock dividend.  In the amount of 6,341,645 shares of
common stock,  par value $0.01,  to be distributed to  stockholders of record on
May 21, 2001, prorated to stock ownership, with 0.25 share issued for each share
owned on the record date.  Fractional  shares will be settled by payment of cash
in lieu of issuance of shares.

     The stock  issued  pursuant to this  dividend  is a new issue of  6,341,645
shares.  The Company's  retained  earnings will be reduced by $63,416.45  with a
corresponding increase of capital stock outstanding of $63,416.45.  The dividend
issue will  increase the total number of the  Company's  issued and  outstanding
shares from 25,366,582 to 31,708,227.

     The purpose of the stock dividend is to increase liquidity for stockholders
of the Company.

                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                                    HEARTLAND EXPRESS, INC.

Date: May 11, 2001                                  BY: /s/ John P. Cosaert
                                                          JOHN P. COSAERT
                                                           Vice-President
                                                       Finance and Treasurer