<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001140361-09-011334
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090505
<FILING-DATE>20090507
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090507
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MOLINE BRADLEY A
<CIK>0001229361
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-24960
<FILM-NUMBER>09804168
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>610 BROADWAY
<CITY>IMPERIAL
<STATE>NE
<ZIP>69033
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>COVENANT TRANSPORTATION GROUP INC
<CIK>0000928658
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4213
<IRS-NUMBER>880320154
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NV
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>400 BIRMINGHAM HIGHWAY
<CITY>CHATTANOOGA
<STATE>TN
<ZIP>37419
<PHONE>4238211212
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>400 BIRMINGHAM HIGHWAY
<CITY>CHATTANOOGA
<STATE>TN
<ZIP>37419
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>COVENANT TRANSPORT INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19940818
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc1.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-05-05</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000928658</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COVENANT TRANSPORTATION GROUP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CVTI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001229361</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MOLINE BRADLEY A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>610 BROADWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>IMPERIAL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>69033</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-05-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20989</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Share award represents annual equity compensation in the form of a grant of stock equal to $25,000, divided by the closing stock price on the date of grant.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Bradley A. Moline, by Heidi Hornung-Scherr, attorney-in-fact, pursuant to a POA previously filed with the SEC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-05-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
