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EXECUTION COPY


SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

    This SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT (this "Amendment"), made and entered into as of January 19, 2000, is by and between MARTEN TRANSPORT, LTD., a Delaware corporation (the "Borrower"), the banks which are signatories hereto (individually, a "Bank" and, collectively, the "Banks"), and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as agent for the Banks (in such capacity, the "Agent").

RECITALS

    1.  The Borrower and U.S. Bank National Association, in its capacity as a Bank and the Agent, entered into a Credit Agreement dated as of October 30, 1998, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of January 3, 2000 (as amended, the "Credit Agreement"); and

    2.  The Borrower desires to amend certain other provisions of the Credit Agreement, and the Banks and Agent have agreed to make such amendments, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Amendment.

AGREEMENT

    NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby covenant and agree to be bound as follows:

    Section 1.  Capitalized Terms.  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Credit Agreement, unless the context shall otherwise require.

    Section 2.  Amendments.  The Credit Agreement is hereby amended as follows:


    Section 3.  Effectiveness of Amendments.  The amendments contained in this Amendment shall become effective upon delivery by the Borrower of, and compliance by the Borrower with, the following:

    Section 5.  Representations, Warranties, Authority, No Adverse Claim.  

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    Section 6.  Affirmation of Credit Agreement, Further References.  The Agent, the Banks, and the Borrower each acknowledge and affirm that the Credit Agreement, as hereby amended, is hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects and all terms, conditions and provisions of the Credit Agreement, except as amended by this Amendment, shall remain unmodified and in full force and effect. All references in any document or instrument to the Credit Agreement are hereby amended and shall refer to the Credit Agreement as amended by this Amendment. All of the terms, conditions, provisions, agreements, requirements, promises, obligations, duties, covenants and representations of the Borrower under such documents and any and all other documents and agreements entered into with respect to the obligations under the Credit Agreement are incorporated herein by reference and are hereby ratified and affirmed in all respects by the Borrower.

    Section 7.  Merger and Integration, Superseding Effect.  This Amendment, from and after the date hereof, embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and has merged into this Amendment all prior oral and written agreements on the same subjects by and between the parties hereto with the effect that this Amendment, shall control with respect to the specific subjects hereof and thereof.

    Section 8.  Severability.  Whenever possible, each provision of this Amendment and the other Amendment Documents and any other statement, instrument or transaction contemplated hereby or thereby or relating hereto or thereto shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective, valid and enforceable under the applicable law of any jurisdiction, but, if any provision of this Amendment, the other Amendment Documents or any other statement, instrument or transaction contemplated hereby or thereby or relating hereto or thereto shall be held to be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable under the applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective in such jurisdiction only to the extent of such prohibition, invalidity or unenforceability, without invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions of this Amendment, the other Amendment Documents or any other statement, instrument or transaction contemplated hereby or thereby or relating hereto or thereto in such jurisdiction, or affecting the effectiveness, validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

    Section 9.  Successors.  The Amendment Documents shall be binding upon the Borrower, the Banks, and the Agent and their respective successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of the Borrower, the Banks, and the Agent and the successors and assigns of the Banks and the Agent.

    Section 10.  Legal Expenses.  As provided in Section 9.2 of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower agrees to reimburse the Agent, upon execution of this Amendment, for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including attorney' fees and legal expenses of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, counsel for the Agent) incurred in connection with the Credit Agreement, including in connection with the negotiation, preparation and execution of the Amendment Documents and all other documents negotiated, prepared and executed in connection with the Amendment Documents, and in enforcing the obligations of the Borrower under the Amendment Documents, and to pay and save the Agent and the Banks harmless from all liability for, any stamp or other taxes which may be payable with respect to the execution or delivery of the Amendment Documents, which obligations of the Borrower shall survive any termination of the Credit Agreement.

    Section 11.  Headings.  The headings of various sections of this Amendment have been inserted for reference only and shall not be deemed to be a part of this Amendment.

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    Section 12.  Counterparts.  The Amendment Documents may be executed in several counterparts as deemed necessary or convenient, each of which, when so executed, shall be deemed an original, provided that all such counterparts shall be regarded as one and the same document, and either party to the Amendment Documents may execute any such agreement by executing a counterpart of such agreement.

    Section 13.  Governing Law.  THE AMENDMENT DOCUMENTS SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF, BUT GIVING EFFECT TO FEDERAL LAWS APPLICABLE TO NATIONAL BANKS, THEIR HOLDING COMPANIES AND THEIR AFFILIATES.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed as of the date and year first above written.

    MARTEN TRANSPORT, LTD.
 
 
 
 
 
By:
 
 
     
    Title:  
     
    Address: 129 Marten Street
Mondovi, Wisconsin 54755
 
Revolving Commitment
Amount:
 
 
 
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
In its individual corporate capacity and as Agent
 
$40,000,000
 
 
 
By:
 
 
     
    Title:  
     
    Address: 601 Second Avenue South,
MPFP0602
Minneapolis, MN 55402-4302
ATTN:
Michael J. Reymann
 
Revolving Commitment
Amount:
 
 
 
THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY
 
$10,000,000
 
 
 
By:
 
 
     
    Title:  
     
    Address: 50 South LaSalle Street
Chicago, IL 60675
ATTN:
Daniel Hintzen

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EXECUTION COPY

SECRETARY'S CERTIFICATE

    I,            , hereby certify to U.S. Bank National Association, as "Agent" on behalf of the "Banks" (as such terms are defined in the Credit Agreement), on behalf of Marten Transport, Ltd., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), as follows:

Name and Title
  Signature
     
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have executed this Secretary's Certificate this      day of January, 2000.

    Name:
    Title: Secretary

    I,            , being the duly elected and acting Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to the Company, do hereby certify to U.S. Bank National Association, as Agent, that            is the duly elected and acting Secretary of the Company and that the signature set forth above is his genuine signature.

    Name:    
    Title:   Executive Vice President, Chief
        Financial Officer and Treasurer


EXHIBIT A
TO SECRETARY'S CERTIFICATE

    WHEREAS, the Company, the banks which are signatories to the Credit Agreement (individually, a "Bank" and, collectively, the "Banks") and U.S. Bank National Association, as agent for the Banks (in such capacity, the "Agent") entered into a Credit Agreement dated as of October 30, 1998, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of January 3, 2000 (as amended, the "Credit Agreement").

    WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has determined that it is in the Company's best interests to enter into that certain Second Amendment to Credit Agreement to be dated as of January  , 2000 (the "Second Amendment"), the terms of which will change the terms of the Company's permitted Restricted Payments, as defined in the Credit Agreement.

    RESOLVED, that the form, terms, conditions, and provisions of that certain Second Amendment between the Company, the Banks, and the Agent as heretofore presented to the Board of Directors of the Company be, and said Second Amendment hereby is, approved and adopted in all respects.

    RESOLVED FURTHER, that the consummation of each of the transactions contemplated by and in the Second Amendment be, and said transactions hereby are authorized, approved, and adopted in all respects.

    RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, each Vice President and Assistant Vice President, and the Secretary of the Company, or any one of them, be, and said officers, or any on of them, hereby are, authorized to execute and deliver the Second Amendment with such changes as they, or any one of them, shall approve, the execution and delivery thereof to be conclusive evidence of such approval.

    RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, each Vice President and Assistant Vice President, and the Secretary of the Company, or any one of them, be, and said officers, or any one of them, hereby are authorized to execute and deliver any and all documents and instruments and to take any and all such actions as he or she may deem necessary or desirable in order to carry out the intent and purposes of the foregoing resolutions, the execution and delivery of such documents or instruments or the taking of such action to be conclusive evidence that such execution and delivery or the taking of such action was authorized by this resolution.



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SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT