



                                                                      Exhibit 99
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                                  PRESS RELEASE
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                               COVENANT TRANSPORT
                             ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION

CHATTANOOGA,   TENNESSEE  -  November  16,  1999  -  Covenant  Transport,   Inc.
(Nasdaq/NMS:  CVTI)  announced  today  it  has  completed  the  purchase  of the
outstanding   stock  of  both   Harold  Ives   Trucking   Co.  and  Harold  Ives
Transportation,  both  based  near  Little  Rock,  Arkansas.  The two  companies
generate $65 million in combined trucking and brokerage operations. The purchase
price  for the  stock of both  companies  plus  the  assumption  of debt  totals
approximately $45 million and includes no goodwill.

Chairman,  President and Chief Executive Officer David R. Parker stated: "We are
very  excited  about the  addition of the Harold  Ives  trucking  and  brokerage
companies to our  business.  The ATW  acquisition  has gone so well that we felt
ready to respond when this  opportunity  presented  itself.  Including these two
operations,   Covenant  has  acquired  six  companies   with  combined   revenue
approaching   $180  million  in  the  past  two  years,   while  only  recording
approximately  $5 million in goodwill.  Our goal is for acquired  businesses  to
contribute  to earnings  within two quarters.  All of our previous  acquisitions
have contributed to earnings immediately.  The Ives operations had been modestly
profitable  in 1999,  and we expect them to be accretive to earnings  consistent
with our goals.

"Harold Ives built the trucking and  brokerage  operations  over the last thirty
years with a strong commitment to his customers, drivers and carriers. We expect
to continue the fine  reputation that he and his employees  enjoy.  The trucking
company operates about 435 trucks,  predominately  company owned and with single
drivers, and 850 dry van trailers.

"The business has an average length of haul of about 900 miles with  utilization
averaging about 120,000 miles per year. The business complements very nicely our
existing  just-in-time  solo  operations  through  the  southwest,  midwest  and
southeast.  We are equally  excited about the addition of the growing  brokerage
operation  which  generates  about $5 million of net revenue (gross revenue less
transportation  costs) and has been  nicely  profitable.  We will retain a major
terminal in Little Rock and the brokerage operation in Stuttgart, Arkansas, with
much  of  the  remaining  trucking  operations  being  handled  from  Covenant's
Chattanooga headquarters."

Covenant  Transport,  Inc. is a truckload  carrier that offers  just-in-time and
other  premium  transportation  services  for  customers  throughout  the United
States.  Covenant's  annualized revenue is approximately $550 million.  Covenant
has  grown  revenue  over 20% per  year  over the  last  thirteen  years  and is
committed to growing  revenue and earnings per share both internally and through
acquisitions.

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For further information contact:
Joey B. Hogan, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer              (423) 821-1212

For copies of company information contact:
Melleny Andrews                                           (423) 821-1212 ex 3335

This press  release and  statements  by the Company in  stockholder  reports and
public filings, as well as oral public statements by Company representatives may
contain certain forward looking information that is subject to certain risks and
uncertainties  that could cause actual results to differ  materially  from those
projected.  Without limitation,  these risks and uncertainties  include economic
factors such as recessions,  downturns in customers'  business  cycles,  surplus
inventories,  inflation,  fuel price  increases,  and higher interest rates; the
resale value of the Company's used equipment;  the availability and compensation
of  qualified   drivers;   competition  from  trucking,   rail,  and  intermodal
competitors;  and  the  ability  to  identify  acceptable  acquisition  targets,
consummate  acquisitions,  and integrate  acquired  operations.  Readers  should
review  and  consider  the  various  disclosures  made  by  the  Company  in its
stockholder  reports and in its periodic  reports on forms 10-K and 10-Q as well
as the factors  explained in greater  detail in the  Company's  annual report on
Form 10-K.


