Covenant Transport vs Heartland Express
Covenant is known for team driving and expedited freight. Heartland focuses on short-to-medium haul with more frequent home time. Different strengths for different driver priorities.
Covenant Transport
- Pay
- $50,000 - $80,000
- Fleet
- 3,500+ trucks
- Rating
- 3.5/5
Heartland Express
- Pay
- $55,000 - $80,000
- Fleet
- 5,000+ trucks
- Rating
- 3.6/5
Head-to-Head Comparison
Pay
Covenant Transport
Covenant pays $50K-$80K with team driving bonuses pushing earnings higher.
Heartland Express
Heartland pays $55K-$80K with consistent miles on shorter routes.
Home Time
Covenant Transport
Covenant OTR and team drivers may be out 2+ weeks; dedicated is better.
Heartland Express
Heartland's short-haul focus gets many drivers home weekly or more.
Benefits
Covenant Transport
Covenant offers medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid orientation, team bonuses.
Heartland Express
Heartland provides health, 401(k) match, paid orientation, late-model trucks.
Training/Support
Covenant Transport
Covenant accepts recent graduates with training programs.
Heartland Express
Heartland prefers 1 year experience with limited new driver programs.
Equipment/Technology
Covenant Transport
Covenant runs a modern fleet for OTR and expedited.
Heartland Express
Heartland maintains late-model Freightliners with clean, reliable trucks.
Our Verdict
Heartland wins for home time priority. Covenant is better for team drivers and expedited freight. New CDL holders may find Covenant more accessible since Heartland prefers experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Heartland really better for home time?
Yes. Short-to-medium haul routes naturally cycle drivers home more frequently.
Is Covenant good for team driving?
Yes, one of the better carriers with team bonuses and expedited lanes.
Which has better trucks?
Both modern. Heartland standardizes on Freightliners. Quality is comparable.