In this guide, we’ll help you find the best trucking companies to work for. Whether you’re looking for paid CDL training, or just a good, honest carrier to work for – we’ve got all the info you need.
Over 47 years of working in the trucking industry, as a truck driver and a fleet owner, I’ve learned the qualities that make for a great carrier. I know what to look for in a company for a good experience as a truck driver.
To make your job search task easier, we’ve curated hand-picked lists of the best U.S. trucking companies to work for. We’ve also gathered thousands and thousands of comments and reviews of real-life experiences from real truck drivers.
These are well-rated carriers which we believe are worthy of further investigation.
The recommended companies and lists will be updated often and new categories will be continually added. Be sure to check back for new additions and updates.
Top 10 Trucking Companies To Drive For
Nussbaum Transportation
Hudson, Illinois
They are a medium size carrier, a dry freight hauling company, wisely managed and are known for being well liked by their drivers.
We receive numerous good reports about this company.
Pride Transport
Salt Lake City, UT
This is a relatively small reefer outfit. They run top notch equipment, and are privately owned.
They have an excellent reputation for treating their drivers ‘like family’. Many drivers stay with this company: much lower turnover than industry norms.
Walmart Transportation
NW Arkansas, Silicon Valley, DC Metro Area
Walmart is a quality trucking company with great job security, good pay, very low driver turnover, both much sought after qualities by drivers. The reason for the solid job security is due to the fact that Walmart is not a common carrier, but a private carrier. Good health benefits.
They run their own fleet of trucks and hauls their own freight, not a common scenario for trucking companies, but one that provides a good deal of business security.
I specifically like Walmart as it’s a private fleet, with excellent job security. Although they have thousands of trucks, but also don’t fall into the usual mega carrier classification.
TMC Transportation
Des Moines, Iowa.
TMC is a flatbed trucking outfit that own and operate excellent equipment – a definite attraction for drivers.
GP Transco
Joliet, Illinois
A relatively new and innovative company. Great pay, runs most all states, reputation for treating drivers with respect.
Western Distribution Transportation Corp
Denver, Colorado
This medium sized, privately owned company runs some of the best looking company equipment seen on the road. However, they are not noted for being a top paying carrier. They are a specialized automobile carrier service out of Denver, Colorado.
Crete Carriers + Shaffer Trucking
Lincoln, NE, Mechanicsburg, PA
These 2 companies are part of the same group. Good pay. Well respected trucking company in trucking. Crete and Shaffer require one year of driving experience. They’ve recently increased their governed truck speeds to 68 MPH in cruise, 65 MPH on the pedal. They gave good benefits including a 401K match and profit sharing. They have a very good pet and rider program.
Hirschbach
Dubuque, IA
This trucking company has been around for well over half a century. A privately owned carrier. Drivers are known to hire on with Hirschbach and stay for along time. They have a reefer freight division, dry freight but are best known for over the road trucking.
Heartland Express
16 Terminals Throughout U.S.
Heyl Truck Lines
Akron, Iowa, Zephyrhills, FL, Edinburg, TX, Estherville, IA, Sioux Falls, SD (+1 in Canada)
Related > 5 Important Things You Should Know About a Career in Trucking
Best Trucking Companies For New Drivers
Estes Express – A good starting company for new truckers. They have a large freight base. Great pay, good home time, respect for their drivers.
TMC – Des Moines, IA – A good starter company for the new CDL driver. The pay is decent and yep they have Peterbilts, if that appeals to you.
Schneider – Green Bay, WI – A financially sound company (which is pretty important), no team driver training, 3 week very structured training, less time with a mentor on the road than most. Run well equipped Freightliners with APU + fridge. Good benefit package.
Shaffer Trucking – Have a 6-8 week training on a route with a mentor. 1 week is 8 hours of a team driving situation.
J.B. Hunt – Lowell, AR – J.B. Hunt is a well respected carrier. The pay is noted to be decent. They have a hyper-focused safety program, including driver-facing dash cams.
Smith Transport – Roaring Spring, PA – Newer model equipment, variety of schedules eg. home daily, 21 on/7 off, home weekends, home alternate weekends. Dispatch seems to work well with drivers.
Maverick Transportation – North Little Rock, AR – Flatbed company with decent equipment. Being flatbed work, the work isn’t easy. They offer decent pay and benefits.
Dupre Logistics – Lafayette, LA – A rock solid trucking company in Louisiana, hires company drivers and owner operators. Van and tanker division. Check these truck driving jobs available at Dupre.
May Trucking Company – Salem, OR – May can be a solid choice for new drivers. Good training, but pay lower than their ‘equals’. They do look at those with felony convictions on an individual case-by-case basis. Number of Driver Managers are former truck drivers. Seem to have steady freight volume. Good miles. Run newer model equipment.
CFI – Joplin, MO – CFI is a recommended starter company for the new driver. They hire new drivers, offer a paid CDL training program, hire experienced drivers and owner operators.
Related > 7 Things You Need To Know About Your First Year as a New Truck Driver
Best Trucking Companies With CDL Training
If you have made the decision that paid CDL training is for you, here are some of the trucking companies with CDL schools, I’d recommend to check out.
There are more companies than what are listed below. The following are some that may be worth further investigation.
Maverick Transportation
Little Rock, AR
Maverick has a flat bed and reefer trucking division.
They run current model equipment, always well maintained. They rank well for being one of the best trucking companies with paid training.
Maverick is truly a mega carrier. However, I personally rate them a cut above the rest, due to the fact that they are a well managed carrier.
Learn more about their paid CDL training program.
We like the fact they have training classes which start every Wednesday.
TMC
Des Moines, IA
If flatbed trucking floats your boat, this carrier offers a good training program with a decent wage paid for the 3 week training period.
They offer guaranteed work placement upon completion.
We like the fact that their initial training period is 3 weeks and upon completion of this portion, the student is then paired with a qualified trainer for an additional 5 week period.
TMC states they don’t have any initial costs for the program to their students.
Schneider
Green Bay, WI
Schneider is certainly near the top of the heap, when it comes to reputable companies that pay for CDL training. Yes, they are a mega carrier.
Many graduates and drivers say that the training program is solid. A good experience for new drivers. Many drivers stay with Schneider for long periods of time.
There are multiple options and available and ways to be eligible for company sponsored training, eg. Federal Student Aid, Veteran Affairs Education Benefits, WIOA and Student Financing.
Check out Schneider’s paid CDL training offerings.
Other
- XPO Logistics – Greenwich, CO – No upfront costs to a trainee, and gives trainees and 3 meals/day along with housing provided during the training period. The classes are noted as being small even though the carrier itself is a huge carrier.
- Roehl – Marshall, WI – Multiple terminals and drop yards across the country. CDL Training and Training for Inexperienced Drivers. Training is thorough and a typically a cut above most all mega carrier training.
Related > Companies That Pay For CDL Training
Best Paying Trucking Companies – Carriers With Competitive Pay
Barr-Nunn
Granger, IA
A solid, stable carrier which works hard to reduce their carbon footprint in this world. They hire single and team company drivers as well as owner operators.
Their current driver package includes:
- $550-$825 Bonus for Safety, every 3 months
- Paid vacation every 90 days
- Mileage pay as ‘practical miles’ (as opposed to shortest miles routes)
- 401 K packages
- Regular pay raises upon driver review
- No New York City runs or Canada runs (Yikes, Canada isn’t so bad, eh?)
- Drop and hook loads mostly (Mmmm. We like that.:)
They are rated a certified top paying carrier by the National Transportation Institute, for the past 14 years.
Black Gold Transport
North Pole, AK
No this isn’t a typo. This company hires drivers with CDL A with Doubles/Triples Endorsement, with pay (October 2023) range of $130,000 – $160,000/year.
Other
ABF Freight – Fort Smith, AR – Mainly an LTL carrier based out of Fort Smith, Arkansas, with multiple yards. Another unionized carrier which is definitely an above average payer.
Dupre Logistics – Layette, LA – A small tanker trucking outfit. They are in the process of opening a few new branches across the U.S. They keep late model well maintained equipment. Most of their trucking jobs are ‘paid by the hour’ positions. Their management team is top notch.
GP Transco – Joliet, IL – A medium size company located in Illinois, GP Transco is the 3rd highest paying carrier in the U.S. This up and coming trucking company sets a good example for other companies to follow. Extra 2 cents/mile for drivers with Driver Facing Dash Cams (Not a mandatory program). Just call 1-844-WORK4GP.
UPS – Nationwide – The well known carrier has multiple yards nationwide and is a unionized trucking company. Since they are unionized, their driver pay is above average. They have low driver turnover.
TSD Logistics – Texarkana, TX – Great pay, treat drivers with respect.
Old Dominion Freight Line – Thomasville, NC – They have been around for 85 years and still going strong. Although they are based out of Virginia, they have multiple yards across the U.S. Their rate of pay to their drivers is above average driver pay.
Warrior Logistics – Coppell, TX – A Texas carrier, paying .52/mile for solo drivers, $600/week training (If you have CDL)
Forward Air Corporation – Greenville, TN – Noted to have the top pay for the independent contractors. Recently, they’ve increased their pay rates for independent contractor drivers further.
Related > Current Year Truck Driver Salary Reference Guide
Best Tanker Trucking Companies To Work For
Dupre Logistics – Lafayette, LA – Good reputation, well managed, good pay.
KAG – North Canton, OH – Large U.S. tanker company. Fuel division, specialty products, compressed gas, van division, dump trailers. Mileage rate is very good. Compensated for all the work done.
Groendyke – Enid, OK – A top shelf tanker company with competitive pay and benefits, high standards for their drivers. Run top notch, well maintained equipment.
Liquid Trucking – Plattesmouth, NE – Good pay, bonus program, can be home weekly.
Schneider – Green Bay, WI – Responsible carrier with a good reputation.
Indian River – Winter Haven, FL – Good pay, good equipment. Generally well rated by drivers, other than a handful of disgruntled past employees.
FoodLiner – Dubuque, IA – Decent pay, steady work. Not perfect, but steady pay check.
Puryear Tank Lines – Apex, NC – Great pay and home time. Management respects drivers.
Related > Is It Still Worth It To Be a Truck Driver?
Owner Operator Carriers To Work For
Mercer Transportation – Louisville, KY – Drivers with Flatbed experience.
Forward Air Corporation – Greeneville, TN – Great pay (a top paying company in the industry to Owner Operators), respect to their contractors. Many contractors stay with the company for long periods.
Related > What You Need to Know About Being a Long Haul Trucker
Driver Rated Best Trucking Companies
Crete Carriers – Lincoln, NE
Crete’s headquarters is centrally located in the U.S, in Lincoln, Nebraska, which can make this large carrier convenient, should you live in the central U.S.A. region.
They have a reputation for being a well managed outfit and are known for treating their employees fairly. Their dispatch gets good reports for efficiency and being personal (which can be rare).
I have interviewed drivers currently at Crete who say they receive ‘raises’ which are fleet-wide, due to their performance during the current Pandemic.
We’ve found through our interviews that pay can be nearly twice as much as other similar carriers.
They have been around for 55 years and are still a privately owned entity which we think is a good perk.
Related > Guide to Trucking Companies Hiring Felons
Trucking Companies – Temperature-Controlled Specialty
Perkins – Becker, MN – Reefer outfit with Kenworth and Freightliner, Utility and Great Dane Trailers.
Double J – Jackson, WI – Excellent family owned and operated carrier. A driver favourite.
Related > How to Choose a Great Trucking Company to Work
Recommended Carriers By State
Alaska Trucking Companies
Black Gold Transport – North Pole, AK – If you are looking for a trucking job that challenges your skills as a professional, then trucking at the North Pole may be for you. Pays well. Good reputation.
California Trucking Companies
Certified Freight Logistics – Santa Mira, CA – A smaller California company running dedicated freight for Costco Wholesale, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Northern CA and Southern CA. They pay for all time driving and on duty, plus mileage. They also have a good medical package.
Best Trucking Companies Florida
Sterling Transportation – Miami, F, Houston, TX, Coppell, TX – Great pay, great benefits, decent amount of home time.
Indian River Transport, Inc – Medium sized food grade tanker outfit that hails from Winter Haven, Florida. Run great equipment, though not a high paying carrier.
Cypress Truck Lines – Jacksonville, FL – Good all around company to work for.
Illinois Trucking Companies
Dynamic Transit, Inc. – Granite, IL – Carrier with an ‘old school’ feel. They run 10 speed manual Peterbilt 389 hood trucks, governed at 70 mph with reefer units.
GP Transco – OTR carrier that hires professional drivers from all states. Known for treating their drivers right.
Globe Transportation Group – Lake Zurich, IL – Good pay. Company drivers take home per week: $2000 – $2800 US weekly.
Martin Brower – Rosemont, IL – Multiple locations. Union company with good pay and benefits. Overtime work seems available and compensated accordingly.
Iowa
10 Roads Express – Carter Lake, IA, (with Multiple Terminals) – Good pay, benefits, can be home every night, work hard to get drivers home when needed. They also have fly in driver options. Mostly 500-600 mile trips. Company pays for driver’s travel, boarding and per diem. Runs entirely dictated by Postal Service, (can be a disadvantage if they are dissatisfied).
Don Hummer Trucking – Cedar Rapids, IA – Good pay and paid weekly salary, therefore miles a non-issue. Newer model equipment. Typically home weekly. 4 cents/mile safety bonus. No force dispatch. Dispatchers must be former drivers. Run most of the continental U.S. Lots of drivers with 10+ with the company.
Kentucky
Phoenix Transportation – Georgetown, KY – Small company that treats drivers well. Pay isn’t the greatest, but pay always there.
Louisiana
Acme Truck Line – Harvey, LA – Oversize loads, good company to work for.
Missouri
Butler Transport, Kansas City, KS – Starter company, decent pay, minimal home time.
Siedhoff – Union, MO
Minnesota
Freerksen Trucking – Dodge Center, MN – Flatbed trucking company. Good home time. Good to work for.
Montana
Sammons Trucking – Sammons has been around for some time. They specialize in flatbed trucking and is based in Missoula, Montana. They hire both company drivers as well as owner operators.
Nebraska
Dedicated Transportation – Lincoln, NE – Small outfit. Keeps drivers busy.
Ohio
Kentucky Container Service – Cinncinnati, OH (other terminals) – Hourly pay + overtime, mostly newer model equipment.
Oregon
South Carolina – Pageland, SC – Hourly pay, good benefits, decent home time (can be home every night).
Pennsylvania
Mountain Express – Mountain Top, PA – Good pay, ok trucks.
Texas Trucking Companies
World Kinect Corp – Arlington, TX (+other locations) – Good pay, overtime, home every night (possible).
Utah Based Trucking Companies
Pride Transport – Salt Lake City, UT – See above for more detail. 500 trucks, primarily reefer niche carrier.
Wisconsin Carriers
Midwest Carriers – Kaukauna, WI – OTR and local work. Currently at .70/mile (2400+ miles/week). Company has a flat rate minimum weekly pay. Reasonably priced health benefits, weekly pay. Specializes in temperature controlled freight.
West Bend Transit – West Bend, WI -Local work. Great pay, decent benefits. No micromanaging.
Bison Transport (Formerly H.O. Wolding, Inc.) – Amherst, WI – Wolding is a dry freight carrier, privately owned, located in Amherst, Wisconsin. A notable quality of Wolding is their very low driver turnover rate, which speaks volumes about their driving jobs. (Head Office: Canada)
A well managed carrier known for treating their drivers well. I have personally spoken to many of their drivers over the years, and every driver spoke very highly of their experiences with this company.
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