Heartland was founded by Russell Gerdin in 1978 with 4 people in the office and 16 trucks. It became a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ market in 1986, and ended that year posting gross revenues of $21.6 million. Heartland acquired Munson Transportation in 1993 Heartland acquired A&M Express in 1997, which is successfully integrated as a profitable contributor to the overall company. Great Coastal Express was acquired in 2002 and contributed a solid mid-atlantic presence. The great people of Great Coastal Express were a terrific addition to the Heartland family. In 2006 Heartland opened their first expansion terminal in the western US in Phoenix, AZ. This terminal will be the flagship to Heartland's western expansion plan long into the future. In 2008 Heartland purc