<ARTICLE>                     5
<CIK>                         0000941914
<NAME>                        SMITHWAY MOTOR XPRESS CORP.
<MULTIPLIER>                  1000
<CURRENCY>                    US Dollars

                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>             Dec-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                JUL-1-1997
<PERIOD-END>                  SEP-30-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>               1
<CASH>                        1143
<SECURITIES>                  0
<RECEIVABLES>                 13098
<ALLOWANCES>                  0
<INVENTORY>                   803
<CURRENT-ASSETS>              19442
<PP&E>                        69610
<DEPRECIATION>                19891
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                71165
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>         10443
<BONDS>                       24999
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>         0
<PREFERRED>                   0
<COMMON>                      50
<OTHER-SE>                    28361
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>  71165
<SALES>                       0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>              89356
<CGS>                         0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                 80926
<OTHER-EXPENSES>              0
<LOSS-PROVISION>              0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>            1243
<INCOME-PRETAX>               7187
<INCOME-TAX>                  3006
<INCOME-CONTINUING>           4181
<DISCONTINUED>                0
<EXTRAORDINARY>               0
<CHANGES>                     0
<NET-INCOME>                  4181
<EPS-PRIMARY>                 .84
<EPS-DILUTED>                 .83