Updated July 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Cedar Falls, Iowa (July 2026)
Lanefinder tracks 321 W2 trucking carriers hiring in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Rankings below reflect July 2026 data: pay percentiles, FMCSA safety, benefit prevalence, and operational performance. 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.
Cedar Falls, Iowa's top trucking carriers right now
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 leads the Cedar Falls, Iowa market on combined pay and ranking score this month. Top FMCSA dimension here is driver fitness, in the 91st percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 96th percentile across Cedar Falls, Iowa. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile.
For pure pay maximization, True Transport Inc. beats the #1-ranked carrier weekly at $2,250.
#3Forest Brook Trucking LLC — $1,600/wk
Forest Brook Trucking LLC ranks in the 97th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
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.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Cedar Falls, Iowa
The route mix in Cedar Falls, Iowa this month tilts OTR: 16% regional, 83% OTR, 1% local, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Cedar Falls, Iowa postings; dedicated routes at 23%; take-truck-home at 83%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 67% and riders-allowed at 68%.
Cedar Falls, Iowa vs Iowa: the numbers that diverge
| Cedar Falls, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $1,934 | $1,886 | +3% |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 80% | 69% | +11 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 84% | 73% | +11 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, July 2026
Cedar Falls, Iowa's biggest divergence from Iowa is on pet-friendly fleets, 11 points above the state baseline.
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 Cedar Falls, Iowa
- CDL driver salary in Cedar Falls, Iowa
- Best trucking companies in Iowa
Where this data comes from
Rankings combine four signals: compensation (30%) including pay percentile, sign-on bonuses, guaranteed pay, and settlement frequency; FMCSA safety (25%); benefits (25%) scored differently for W2 vs owner-operator carriers; and operational performance (20%) measuring employer responsiveness and fleet scale. Recomputed monthly from real active job postings. Updated July 2026.