8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 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):         August 24, 2011

USA TRUCK, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

0-19858	71-0556971
(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

3200 Industrial Park Road
Van Buren, Arkansas	72956
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

(479) 471-2500

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure

The Company hereby furnishes the slide presentation for the Avondale Partners Trucking Forum to be held on Wednesday, August 24, 2011, in Dallas, TX.  The presentation will begin at 10:00 a.m. (CT) and will be approximately 30 minutes in length.  A question and answer session with all panel speakers will begin at 10:30 a.m.  A copy of the slide presentation is attached to this report as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

99.1 USA Truck, Inc. slide presentation from the Avondale Partners Trucking Forum held in Dallas, TX on August 24, 2011.

The information contained in this report (including items 7.01 and 9.01) and the exhibit shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.  The information set forth herein, or in the exhibit, shall not be deemed an admission as to the materiality of any information herein or in the exhibit that is required to be disclosed to satisfy the requirements of Regulation FD.

The information in this report, the exhibit hereto, and statements made at the Avondale Partners Trucking Forum may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements generally may be identified by their use of terms or phrases such as “expects,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “believes,” “plans,” “goals,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “potential,” “continue,” “future,” and terms or phrases of similar substance.  Forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified, which could cause future events and actual results to differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements.  Accordingly, actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.  Readers should review and consider the factors that may affect future results and other disclosures by the Company in its press releases, Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in the factors affecting the forward-looking information.  In light of these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this report and the exhibit hereto, as well as those made at the Avondale Partners Trucking Forum might not occur.

All forward-looking statements attributable to us, or persons acting on our behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

This report and the slide presentation also will be available to interested parties at our web site, http://www.usa-truck.com under the “Financial Reports” tab of the “Investors” menu.

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 hereunto duly authorized.

		USA Truck, Inc.
		(Registrant)
Date:	August 24, 2011	/s/ Darron R. Ming
		Darron R. Ming
		Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit Number	Exhibit
99.1	USA Truck, Inc. slide presentation for the Avondale Partners Trucking Forum to be held on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 in Dallas, TX

EX-99

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-Looking Statements

This information and the statements made at this conference presentation may contain
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
These statements generally may be identified by their use of terms or phrases such as
“expects,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “believes,” “plans,” “intends,”
“may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “potential,” “continue,” “future” and terms or
phrases of similar substance.  Forward-looking statements are based upon the current
beliefs and expectations of our management and are inherently subject to risks and
uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified, which could cause
future events and actual results to differ materially from those set forth in,
contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements.  Accordingly, actual
results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.  Readers
should review and consider the factors that may affect future results and other
disclosures by the Company in its reports, Annual Report on Form 10-K and other
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We disclaim any obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in
the factors affecting the forward-looking information.In light of these risks and
uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this
conference presentation might not occur.

* Vision for Economic Value-Added

VEVA* Strategic Plan

VEVA* Strategic Plan

Objective #1

Earn Cost of Capital

1.Rebuild Our Foundation

•Fewer, more talented people

3.Regionalize Trucking Service

•Build density in regional lanes

•Improve pricing yield

•Attract the right customers

•Increase load “Velocity”

Objective #2

EBIT Growth

Change in Our Model Overdue

Change in Our Model Overdue

920 bps

1,050 bps

1,090 bps

Shallower Earnings Peaks and Deeper Troughs

Shareholders Demand Change

Shareholders Demand Change

Truckload Peer Price-to-Book Ratios

As of August 11, 2011

Shareholders Reward Results

Shareholders Reward Results

Financial Performance Correlations to Stock Price

Source: Stephens, Inc., USA Truck, Inc. and SEC documents

Customers Demand Change Too

Customers Demand Change Too

Billions of Dollars Contributed to U.S. GDP

The Market’s Affirmation

The Market’s Affirmation

Long-Haul Freight Ain’t What it Used to Be

Customers

“Big Boys” (provide broad bundle of TL services)

Everybody Else

Direct

Relationship

Control
Freight

Flexible Outsourced Capacity

Earn a return on every load without full capital risk

Disproportionate share of invested capital with
Insufficient returns

Customers Reward Service

Customers Reward Service

VEVA* Strategic Plan

VEVA* Strategic Plan

Objective #1

Earn Cost of Capital

1.Rebuild Our Foundation

•Fewer, more talented people

3.Regionalize Trucking Service

•Build density in regional lanes

•Improve pricing yield

•Attract the right customers

•Increase load “Velocity”

Objective #2

EBIT Growth

* Vision for Economic Value-Added

1. Rebuilding the Foundation

1. Rebuilding the Foundation

Significant Progress

	2011	2007	Practical Effect
Fewer,More Talented People: Drivers per non-driver	3.6	3.2	10% less headcount
Updated Technology: Core operating systems converted to TMW	100%	0%	Completed Paving the way to greater productivity
Improved Safety Performance: Insurance and claims expense as a % of base Trucking revenue	6.9%	9.4%	250 basis points of operating margin
Fixed Cost Discipline: Trucking fixed costs per truck per calendar day	$130	$133	0.6% CAGR despite intense inflationary pressures

With an Emerging “Big Boy” Model

2. Diversify Service Offerings

2. Diversify Service Offerings

3. Regionalize Trucking Service

3. Regionalize Trucking Service

A 21st Century Freight Network - The Spider Web

3. Regionalize Trucking Service

3. Regionalize Trucking Service

Spinning the Spider Web

	2011	2007	Practical Effect
Build Density in Regional Lanes: % of loads in Spider Web	53%	< 30%	nearly Double
Build Density in Regional Lanes: Loaded Length-of-Haul	534	784	32% Reduction
Improve Pricing Yield: Base Trucking revenue per loaded mile	$1.66	$1.43	16% Improvement
Attract the Right Customers: % of revenue with “Core” Customers	33%	0% no strategy	Order From Chaos
Increase Load Velocity: Loads per Truck per Week	3.2	2.5	Better But Not Good Enough

Velocity - The Missing Link

3. Regionalize Trucking Service

3. Regionalize Trucking Service

Obstacles:

•Operational Execution

•Operating System Conversion

•Unmanned Tractors > 10%

Solutions:

•Debug New System Settings(all
available resources allocated)

•100-Truck Fleet Reduction (during
3rd quarter)

•Fresh driver recruiting approach
(already hired outside help)

•Operational leadership, intensity
and “regional” know-how(David
Hartline hired August 1st)

Why Invest In USA Truck?