Updated July 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Ames, Iowa (July 2026)
324 W2 trucking carriers are currently posting jobs in Ames, Iowa as of July 2026. LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY leads with an average weekly pay of $1,680. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. Iowa freight is shaped by its agricultural output — corn, soybeans, and ethanol — moving on I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south, with Des Moines serving as the primary distribution crossroads.
What changed in July 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
The trucking companies leading Ames, Iowa this month
The top of the list is LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY at $1,680/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY — $1,680/wk
LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY is number-one in Ames, Iowa this month on the composite ranking. Strongest FMCSA dimension is driver fitness — 91st percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. pays above the 91st percentile on weekly pay for the Ames, Iowa market. Strongest FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance — 99th percentile.
Despite ranking below #1, True Transport Inc. outpays the leader on weekly average — $2,250/week.
#3Forest Brook Trucking LLC — $1,600/wk
Forest Brook Trucking LLC's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 97th percentile. Forest Brook Trucking LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
Also in the top 10: #4 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #5 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #6 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #8 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #9 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk, #10 Badger Express LLC at $1,700/wk.
What Ames, Iowa drivers actually run
Of active CDL postings in Ames, Iowa this month, 16% are regional and 82% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 2%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Ames, Iowa postings; dedicated routes at 23%; take-truck-home at 82%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 67% and riders-allowed at 69%.
Where Ames, Iowa differs from the Iowa baseline
| Ames, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $1,935 | $1,886 | +3% |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 80% | 69% | +11 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 84% | 73% | +11 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, July 2026
Among the figures above, pet-friendly fleets is where Ames, Iowa differs most from Iowa — 11 points above statewide.
Driving CDL in Iowa
Iowa freight is shaped by the state's agricultural output — corn, soybeans, ethanol, pork — moving on the I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south corridors. Des Moines serves as the primary distribution crossroads. Cedar Rapids and Davenport (Quad Cities) add manufacturing and food-processing freight. Iowa runs a moderate graduated state income tax; living costs are among the lowest in the Midwest. Winter is severe — wind off the prairie plus drifting snow plus black ice on I-80 makes route timing genuinely consequential from December through March.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Ames, Iowa
- CDL driver salary in Ames, Iowa
- Best trucking companies in Iowa
How we compile these rankings
Four weighted components. Compensation carries 30% and includes pay percentile, sign-on bonus tier, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement frequency. FMCSA safety carries 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions. Benefits carry 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator carriers. Operational performance carries 20%, measuring application responsiveness and fleet scale. Updated July 2026.