Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Cedar Falls, Iowa (May 2026)
Lanefinder tracks 337 W2 trucking carriers hiring in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Rankings below reflect May 2026 data: pay percentiles, FMCSA safety, benefit prevalence, and operational performance. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. 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 May 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 KEEP TRUCKING LLC at $2,200/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1KEEP TRUCKING LLC — $2,200/wk
KEEP TRUCKING LLC tops the Cedar Falls, Iowa ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. The carrier ranks in the 95th percentile for weekly pay in Cedar Falls, Iowa. KEEP TRUCKING LLC ranks in the 88th percentile for controlled-substances compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. KEEP TRUCKING LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 97th percentile across Cedar Falls, Iowa. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
For pure pay maximization, True Transport Inc. beats the #1-ranked carrier weekly at $2,250.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC pays above the 90th percentile on weekly pay for the Cedar Falls, Iowa market. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC's FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 94th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #5 HMD TRUCKING INC at $1,800/wk, #6 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #7 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #8 KOTTKE TRUCKING INC at $2,000/wk, #9 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk, #10 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/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 1% of Cedar Falls, Iowa postings; dedicated routes at 23%; take-truck-home at 84%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 68% and riders-allowed at 70%.
Cedar Falls, Iowa vs Iowa: the numbers that diverge
| Cedar Falls, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riders-allowed policies | 86% | 75% | +11 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 80% | 71% | +9 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Cedar Falls, Iowa's biggest divergence from Iowa is on riders-allowed policies, 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 May 2026.