Note 9 - Leases and Commitments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Leases of Lessee Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 9

–

LEASES AND Commitments

CAPITAL LEASES

USA Truck leases certain equipment under capital leases with terms ranging from 15 to 60 months.

Balances related to these capitalized leases are included in property and equipment in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets and are set forth in the table below for the periods indicated (in thousands).

	Capitalized Costs		Accumulated Amortization		Net Book Value
September 30, 2015	$	35,784	$	11,417	$	24,367
December 31, 2014		75,188		27,770		47,418

The Company has capitalized lease obligations relating to revenue equipment of $23.0 million, of which $7.2 million represents the current portion. Such leases have various termination dates extending through September 2019 and contain renewal or fixed price purchase options. The effective interest rates on the leases range from 1.88% to 3.11% as of September 30, 2015. The lease agreements require payment of property taxes, maintenance and operating expenses. Amortization of capital leases was $1.8 million and $7.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively, and $3.1 million and $9.7 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively.

During September 2015, the Company completed a sale-leaseback transaction under which it sold certain owned tractors to an unrelated party for net proceeds of $3.1 million and entered into a 48 month capital lease agreement with the buyer. At September 30, 2015, the Company recorded a liability of approximately $0.1 million representing the total gain on the sale and will amortize such amount to earnings ratably over the lease term. The deferred gain is included in the deferred gain line item on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet

OPERATING LEASES

Rent expense associated with operating leases was $1.7 million and $4.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively, and $1.4 million and $3.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively. Rent expense relating to tractors, trailers and other operating equipment is included in operations and maintenance expense, while rent expense relating to office equipment is included in other operating expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income.

As of September 30, 2015, the Company has entered into leases with lessors who do not participate in the Credit Facility. Currently, such leases do not contain cross-default provisions with the Credit Facility.

In August 2015, the Company completed two sale-leaseback transactions under which it sold certain owned tractors to an unrelated party for net proceeds of $8.0 million and entered into two operating leases with terms of 58 and 59 months, respectively, with the buyer. During September 2015, the Company recorded a liability of approximately $0.3 million representing the total gain on the sale and will amortize such amount to earnings ratably over the lease term. The deferred gain is included on the deferred gain line item in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet.

As of September

30, 2015, the future minimum payments including interest under capitalized leases with initial terms of one year or more and future rentals under operating leases for certain facilities, office equipment and revenue equipment with initial terms of one year or more were as follows for the years indicated (in thousands).

	2015		2016		2017		2018		2019		Thereafter
Capital leases	$	7,707	$	11,466	$	2,669	$	1,872	$	--	$	--
Operating leases		6,206		5,991		5,827		3,168		1,950		2,361

OTHER COMMITMENTS

As of September 30, 2015, the Company had commitments of approximately $0.03 million for purchases of non-revenue equipment and commitments of approximately $22.3 million for purchases of revenue equipment, of which none is cancellable. The Company anticipates taking delivery of these purchases throughout the remainder of 2015.