Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Bakersfield, California (November 2026)
Bakersfield, California has 216 active W2 trucking carriers as of November 2026. The carriers ranked below are scored on real driver pay, FMCSA safety, benefits, and how they treat applicants. Leggett & Platt Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200 and an average $1,997 sign-on bonus. Herrington Transportation Inc. follows at $2,000/week. Bakersfield is the southern San Joaquin Valley's agricultural freight hub, with citrus, grapes, almonds, and oil-field equipment moving on CA-99 and I-5 toward Los Angeles and Bay Area distribution centers.
What changed in November 2026
HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC at #3 and Mountain States L.P. Gas at #5 are new to the top 50 in Bakersfield, California. Biggest climb: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#19 → #2). Biggest falls: ARGO CHEMICAL INC (#20 → #47) and REISCH TRUCKING INC (#28 → #42). Elsewhere in the top 50, 2 carriers joined, 4 left, and 31 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrington Transportation Inc. | #19 | #2 | Up 17 places |
| HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC | Not ranked | #3 | New |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #2 | #4 | Down 2 places |
| Mountain States L.P. Gas | Not ranked | #5 | New |
| REEVE TRUCKING COMPANY | #3 | #6 | Down 3 places |
| PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC | #4 | #7 | Down 3 places |
| Dillard Trucking | #7 | #8 | Down 1 place |
| G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC | #5 | #9 | Down 4 places |
| ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC | #6 | #10 | Down 4 places |
| Fisher Brothers Trucking | #8 | #11 | Down 3 places |
| MC CARRIER LLC | #10 | #12 | Down 2 places |
| BRADY TRUCKING INC | #9 | #13 | Down 4 places |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #13 | #14 | Down 1 place |
| KAISER TRANSPORT INC | #14 | #15 | Down 1 place |
| TRIUS TRUCKING INC | #12 | #17 | Down 5 places |
| RIVER CITY TRANSPORT INC | #15 | #19 | Down 4 places |
| Excel Trucking LLC | #17 | #20 | Down 3 places |
| HAWKS TRANSPORT LLC | Not ranked | #22 | New |
| CARGORX DRY CAPACITY | #24 | #23 | Up 1 place |
| Brenny Specialized Inc | #23 | #24 | Down 1 place |
| HOLLIDAY ROCK CO INC | #22 | #25 | Down 3 places |
| Prime Inc. | #25 | #26 | Down 1 place |
| HUTCHINSON TRUCKING LLC | #26 | #27 | Down 1 place |
| TRANS XPRESS LINE INC | #27 | #28 | Down 1 place |
| NATIONWIDE TRANS INC | #30 | #29 | Up 1 place |
| CTK LOGISTICS LLC | #29 | #30 | Down 1 place |
| VITAL TRANSPORTATION CORP | #35 | #34 | Up 1 place |
| Bakers Express | #37 | #35 | Up 2 places |
| K & R TRANSPORT LLC | #42 | #37 | Up 5 places |
| BIG WINGS LLC | Not ranked | #38 | New |
| EAGLE EYE TRUCK LINES LLC | #40 | #39 | Up 1 place |
| S & R TRANSPORTATION LLC | #39 | #40 | Down 1 place |
| CAPITOL TRUCK LINES INC | #44 | #41 | Up 3 places |
| REISCH TRUCKING INC | #28 | #42 | Down 14 places |
| 1 MTX LLC | #45 | #44 | Up 1 place |
| Parks Motor Group Inc | #46 | #45 | Up 1 place |
| KZY Logistics LLC | #47 | #46 | Up 1 place |
| ARGO CHEMICAL INC | #20 | #47 | Down 27 places |
| WILLIAMS PRESTIGE ENTERPRISE | #11 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| CNA FREIGHT LLC | #34 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| STONE TRANSPORT | #38 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| SMARTWAY EXPRESS INC | #41 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Bakersfield, California's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is Leggett & Platt Inc. at $2,200/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1Leggett & Platt Inc. — $2,200/wk
Leggett & Platt Inc. is number-one in Bakersfield, California this month on the composite ranking. Leggett & Platt Inc. sits in the 93rd percentile for weekly pay among Bakersfield, California carriers. Leggett & Platt Inc.'s top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 89th percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags Leggett & Platt Inc. as a responsive employer.
#2Herrington Transportation Inc. — $2,000/wk
Herrington Transportation Inc. climbed from #19 to #2 this month — one of the biggest moves in Bakersfield, California. Herrington Transportation Inc. pays above the 83rd percentile on weekly pay for the Bakersfield, California market. Herrington Transportation Inc. responds to driver applications more reliably than the Bakersfield, California median.
#3HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC — $1,700/wk
HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC is new to the Bakersfield, California top 50 this month — first appearance in this ranking. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 93rd percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Bakersfield, California median.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 Mountain States L.P. Gas at $2,000/wk, #6 REEVE TRUCKING COMPANY at $1,900/wk, #7 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #8 Dillard Trucking at $2,200/wk, #9 G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC at $2,045/wk, #10 ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC at $2,000/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Bakersfield, California
The route mix in Bakersfield, California this month tilts OTR: 17% regional, 79% OTR, 3% local, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Bakersfield, California postings; dedicated routes at 29%; take-truck-home at 74%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 64% and riders-allowed at 62%.
How Bakersfield, California compares to California
Bakersfield, California's biggest divergence from California is on sign-on bonus availability, 6 points below the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Bakersfield
Bakersfield CDL work centers on agricultural reefer freight from the southern San Joaquin Valley — citrus, grapes, almonds — plus oil-field equipment and pipeline service. CA-99 north and I-5 west are the main outbound spines. Summer heat above 110°F is significant. Tehachapi Pass winter weather affects east-west routing. California labor rules apply.
Driving CDL in California
California is one of the toughest states to drive CDL in the country, and one of the most lucrative for the right setup. CARB emissions rules are the strictest in the US, so engine year and compliance matter for fleet work — if you're owner-op, check current CARB rules before buying a truck. Drayage out of LA / Long Beach and warehouse-rotation work in the Inland Empire pay above the national average, but cost of living is brutal. The mountain passes (Grapevine, Donner, plus high winds on Cajon) add real winter complexity that most other Southwest lanes don't. Drivers with serious mountain experience earn it back.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Bakersfield, California
- CDL driver salary in Bakersfield, California
- Best trucking companies in California
Where this data comes from
Carriers are scored against carriers in their own market. The composite is 30% compensation (pay + bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement cadence), 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits (W2 vs owner-op scoring), and 20% operational performance (responsiveness + fleet scale). No paid placement — the weights are the same for every carrier in the index. Updated November 2026.