Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Ann Arbor, Michigan (November 2026)
376 carriers in Ann Arbor, Michigan are actively recruiting W2 company drivers as of November 2026. Each is scored on a composite of compensation, FMCSA safety, benefits, and operational performance. Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,850/week. Michigan is the US automotive manufacturing heartland, with Detroit and the I-94 / I-75 corridor carrying dense parts-and-assembly flows and Great Lakes ports at Detroit, Muskegon, and Sault Ste. Marie handling bulk commodities.
What changed in November 2026
McLeod Express LLC at #4, SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at #7, and MNS1 EXPRESS INC at #8 are new to the top 50 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#33 → #1), FW TRUCKING (#16 → #2), and True Transport Inc. (#13 → #3). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#1 → #23) and South East Carriers INC (#5 → #16). Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 7 left, and 35 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
Where CDL pay is strongest in Ann Arbor, Michigan this month
The top of the list is Herrington Transportation Inc. at $2,000/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1Herrington Transportation Inc. — $2,000/wk
Herrington Transportation Inc. leads the Ann Arbor, Michigan market on combined pay and ranking score this month. Herrington Transportation Inc. pays above the 86th percentile on weekly pay for the Ann Arbor, Michigan market. Lanefinder's application data flags Herrington Transportation Inc. as a responsive employer.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,850/wk
FW TRUCKING climbed from #16 to #2 this month — one of the biggest moves in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Strongest FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance — 90th percentile.
#3True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. climbed from #13 to #3 this month — one of the biggest moves in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Weekly pay here lands in the 97th percentile across Ann Arbor, Michigan. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 98th percentile.
Despite ranking below #1, True Transport Inc. outpays the leader on weekly average — $2,250/week.
Also in the top 10: #4 McLeod Express LLC at $1,525/wk, #5 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #6 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #7 SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at $2,100/wk, #8 MNS1 EXPRESS INC at $2,050/wk, #9 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #10 Mountain States L.P. Gas at $2,000/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Ann Arbor, Michigan
The route mix in Ann Arbor, Michigan this month tilts OTR: 23% regional, 67% OTR, 9% local, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Ann Arbor, Michigan postings; dedicated routes at 28%; take-truck-home at 73%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 61% and riders-allowed at 62%.
Where Ann Arbor, Michigan differs from the Michigan baseline
| Ann Arbor, Michigan | Michigan top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated routes | 28% | 42% | -14 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 92% | 80% | +12 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 82% | 76% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Ann Arbor, Michigan's biggest divergence from Michigan is on dedicated routes, 14 points below the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Michigan
Michigan is the US automotive heartland — a huge share of CDL work in the state is tied to auto-parts inbound or finished-vehicle outbound. Detroit / Dearborn / Flint lanes have a distinctive operational rhythm that follows plant production schedules, including summer shutdown weeks when freight volume often drops. Winter is the dominant operational variable: lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan can shut down west-side runs, and the freeze-thaw cycle on I-94, I-75, and I-96 means road surfaces are rough year-round. State income tax is flat and moderate. The Upper Peninsula is genuinely remote — long stretches with no fuel stops or services — and most newer drivers shouldn't take UP loads until they've learned the territory.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- CDL driver salary in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Best trucking companies in Michigan
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 November 2026.