Exhibit 99.1
                              SIMON TRANSPORTATION
                              ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION


SALT LAKE CITY, December 18, 2000 (PR Newswire) -- Simon Transportation Services
Inc.  (Nasdaq/NMS:  SIMN)  announced  the signing of a  definitive  agreement to
acquire a portion of the trucking assets of Westway Express,  Inc. The agreement
is subject to a number of conditions,  including due diligence, and is scheduled
to close in January 2001.

Under the agreement,  Simon would assume the lease of or refinance 249 tractors,
sublease 584 trailers,  and purchase or lease  certain other assets.  Simon will
have the  opportunity  to hire all  company  drivers,  independent  contractors,
maintenance employees and office personnel.

Westway  is  headquartered  in  Denver,  Colorado  and has an  additional  major
terminal facility in Albuquerque,  New Mexico.  During 2000,  Westway expects to
generate $62 million in revenue.  Westway currently  operates  approximately 375
company  tractors,  76 tractors  supplied by  independent  contractors,  and 705
53-foot temperature-controlled trailers.

Simon Chief Executive  Officer Jon Isaacson stated,  "We are excited to have the
opportunity  to welcome  the  Westway  personnel  to Simon  Transportation.  The
acquisition is expected to be beneficial to Simon for several reasons. We expect
increased  operating  density in existing Simon lanes as a result of the overlap
in lanes between our companies.  We also hope to hire and retain as many Westway
drivers as possible, with any drivers in excess of the 249 tractors being leased
or  refinanced  to be assigned to Simon's  unseated  tractors.  In addition,  we
expect the  incremental  revenue from the  acquisition to assist in covering our
fixed costs."

Simon Transportation is a truckload carrier providing nationwide,  predominantly
temperature-controlled transportation services for major shippers. The Company's
Class A Common  Stock  trades on the  Nasdaq  National  Market  under the symbol
"SIMN".

                       For additional information contact:
                     Alban B. Lang, Chief Financial Officer
                                 (801) 924-7000

This press release and statements by the Company in reports to its  stockholders
and public filings, as well as oral public statements by Company representatives
contain certain  information that is  forward-looking  within the meaning of the
Private Securities  Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include,  but
are not limited to,  statements  concerning the proposed  acquisition of Westway
and the expected benefits of the acquisition. Such statements are based upon the
current  beliefs  and  expectations  of Simon's  management  and are  subject to
significant  risks and  uncertainties  that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected.  In addition to those mentioned above,  without
limitation,  these  risks  and  uncertainties  include  economic  recessions  or
downturns in customers' business cycles,  excessive increases in capacity within
the truckload markets,  decreased demand for transportation  services offered by
the Company,  rapid  inflation,  high fuel prices,  increases in interest rates,
lower resale values of used  equipment,  the  availability  and  compensation of
qualified  drivers,  and the ability to  negotiate,  consummate,  and  integrate
acquisitions. Readers should review and consider the various disclosures made by
the Company in this press  release and in its  reports to its  stockholders  and
periodic reports on forms 10-K and 10-Q.