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 reported): January 7, 2002

                             HEARTLAND EXPRESS, INC.

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                         Commission File Number -0-15087

             NEVADA                                             93-0926999
(State or 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

This  Form 8-K is being  filed to  update  information  and  correct a date on a
previous filing.

ITEM 5. Other Events.

On January 7, 2002, the  Owner-Operators  Independent Driver  Association,  Inc.
served a lawsuit against us, Case No. 3-01 CV80179 in the United States District
Court for the Southern  District of Iowa.  The lawsuit seeks class action status
on behalf of our  owner-operators  since 1996.  Among other things,  the lawsuit
alleges  that we failed to  adequately  inform  the  owner-operators  of certain
deductions  from their  settlement  statements  in  violation of  Department  of
Transportation  regulations and that our standard contract with  owner-operators
violates  those  regulations.  The  lawsuit  seeks  unspecified  damages  and an
injunction  to  prevent  owner-operators  from  hauling  for  us  until  alleged
contractual  deficiencies  are  corrected.  We intend  to defend it  vigorously.
However, if we do not prevail, our results of operations and financial condition
could be materially and adversely affected.

                                   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: January 17, 2002                            BY:/s/ Thomas E. Hill
                                                    -------------------
                                                        Thomas E. Hill
                                                        Vice-President
                                                        and Controller

                                  End of Filing