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MARTEN TRANSPORT ANNOUNCES SECOND QUARTER RESULTS Reports highest operating revenue and operating income for any quarter in Marten's history - and the best operating ratio , net of fuel surcharges , for any quarter since Marten became a public company in 1986 MONDOVI , Wis . , July 15 , 2021 ( GLOBE NEWSWIRE ) -- Marten Transport , Ltd. ( Nasdaq / GS : MRTN ) today reported the highest operating revenue and operating income for any quarter in Marten's history - and the best operating ratio , net of fuel surcharges , for any quarter since Marten became a public company in 1986. For the second quarter ended June 30 , 2021 , net income improved 18.1 % to $ 21.4 million , or 26 cents per diluted share , from $ 18.1 million , or 22 cents per diluted share , for the second quarter of 2020. For the first six months of 2021 , net income improved 23.8 % to $ 39.4 million , or 47 cents per diluted share , from $ 31.9 million , or 38 cents per diluted share , for the first six months of 2020 . Operating Results Comparison Percentage Increase Three Months Percentage Increase Percentage Increase Percentage Increase Six Months Ended June 30 , Ended June 30 , Year Ended December 31 , Year Ended December 31 , 2021 vs. 2020 2021 vs. 2020 2020 vs. 2019 2019 vs. 2018 Operating revenue 9.4 % 5.7 % 3.7 % 7.1 % Operating revenue , net of fuel surcharges 5.0 % 3.7 % 6.8 % 8.6 % Operating income 12.9 % 21.3 % 21.9 % 8.7 % Net income 18.1 % 23.8 % 13.8 % 11.0 % Operating revenue improved 9.4 % to a record $ 232.4 million for the second quarter of 2021 from $ 212.4 million for the second quarter of 2020 , and improved 5.7 % to $ 455.5 million for the first six months of 2021 from $ 431.0 million for the first six months of 2020. Excluding fuel surcharges , operating revenue improved 5.0 % to $ 203.7 million for the 2021 quarter from $ 194.0 million for the 2020 quarter , and improved 3.7 % to $ 401.8 million for the first six months of 2021 from $ 387.4 million for the first six months of 2020. Fuel surcharge revenue increased to $ 28.8 million for the 2021 quarter from $ 18.3 million for the 2020 quarter , and increased to $ 53.7 million for the first six months of 2021 from $ 43.6 million for the first six months of 2020 due to significantly higher fuel prices . Operating income improved 12.9 % to a record $ 28.5 million for the second quarter of 2021 from $ 25.3 million for the second quarter of 2020. This year's second quarter operating income was $ 3.0 million more than Marten's previous record . Operating income improved 21.3 % to $ 52.5 million for the first six months of 2021 from $ 43.3 million for the first six months of 2020 . Operating expenses as a percentage of operating revenue improved to 87.7 % for the second quarter of 2021 from 88.1 % for the second quarter of 2020. Operating expenses as a percentage of operating revenue , with both amounts net of fuel surcharges , improved to 86.0 % , the best ratio for any quarter since Marten became a public company in 1986 , from 87.0 % .