Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Cincinnati, Ohio (November 2026)
Cincinnati, Ohio's W2 trucking market includes 440 active carriers as of November 2026. Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,800/week. Cincinnati anchors the I-71 / I-75 / I-275 junction near the Ohio-Kentucky border, with the DHL Americas hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, P&G manufacturing, and dense automotive supply-chain freight.
What changed in November 2026
McLeod Express LLC at #4, SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at #7, and MNS1 EXPRESS INC at #9 are new to the top 50 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#38 → #1), FW TRUCKING (#21 → #2), and True Transport Inc. (#16 → #5). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#2 → #25) and South East Carriers INC (#6 → #16). GRAMMER LOGISTICS (was #1) and KEYSTONE TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC (was #9) left the top 50. Elsewhere in the top 50, 5 carriers joined, 6 left, and 32 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrington Transportation Inc. | #38 | #1 | Up 37 places |
| FW TRUCKING | #21 | #2 | Up 19 places |
| McLeod Express LLC | Not ranked | #4 | New |
| True Transport Inc. | #16 | #5 | Up 11 places |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #4 | #6 | Down 2 places |
| SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC | Not ranked | #7 | New |
| Covenant Transport Inc | #5 | #8 | Down 3 places |
| MNS1 EXPRESS INC | Not ranked | #9 | New |
| Mountain States L.P. Gas | Not ranked | #10 | New |
| DICK LAVY TRUCKING | Not ranked | #11 | New |
| ARKA EXPRESS INC | Not ranked | #12 | New |
| PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC | #7 | #13 | Down 6 places |
| MCK TRUCKING INC | #8 | #14 | Down 6 places |
| GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION | #12 | #15 | Down 3 places |
| South East Carriers INC | #6 | #16 | Down 10 places |
| Badger Express LLC | #10 | #17 | Down 7 places |
| JS HELWIG & SON LLC | #14 | #18 | Down 4 places |
| SECOR LOGISTICS LLC | #11 | #19 | Down 8 places |
| Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. | #13 | #20 | Down 7 places |
| G & C FOOD DISTRIBUTORS & BROKERS INC | #15 | #21 | Down 6 places |
| G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC | #17 | #22 | Down 5 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #18 | #23 | Down 5 places |
| ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC | #19 | #24 | Down 5 places |
| LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY | #2 | #25 | Down 23 places |
| MC CARRIER LLC | #24 | #26 | Down 2 places |
| HARTWIG TRANSIT INC | #22 | #27 | Down 5 places |
| HOLLAND ENTERPRISES INC | #26 | #28 | Down 2 places |
| A & H INC | #34 | #29 | Up 5 places |
| KAISER TRANSPORT INC | #29 | #30 | Down 1 place |
| AFC Transport, Inc | #33 | #31 | Up 2 places |
| RIVER CITY TRANSPORT INC | #27 | #32 | Down 5 places |
| USMCA TRANSPORTATION LLC | #30 | #33 | Down 3 places |
| PASCAL CARRIER INC | #31 | #34 | Down 3 places |
| R B HUMPHREYS INC | Not ranked | #35 | New |
| ARCTIC EXPRESS | #32 | #36 | Down 4 places |
| AN ENTERPRISE INC | #35 | #37 | Down 2 places |
| BARTELS TRUCK LINE INC | #36 | #38 | Down 2 places |
| EA EXPRESS LLC | #37 | #39 | Down 2 places |
| CARGORX DRY CAPACITY | #39 | #40 | Down 1 place |
| LUCKY WORLD INC | Not ranked | #41 | New |
| COWEN TRUCK LINE INC | #41 | #42 | Down 1 place |
| HUTCHINSON TRUCKING LLC | #42 | #43 | Down 1 place |
| CJC CARRIER LLC | #43 | #44 | Down 1 place |
| TDR TRANSPORT | #44 | #45 | Down 1 place |
| StaffWorthy | #45 | #46 | Down 1 place |
| GRAMMER LOGISTICS | #1 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| KEYSTONE TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC | #9 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| BRADY TRUCKING INC | #20 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| H & M TRUCKING INC | #23 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Best Logistics Group | #25 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WILLIAMS PRESTIGE ENTERPRISE | #28 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| RAPID RESPONSE, INC. | #40 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| CTK LOGISTICS LLC | #46 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Cincinnati, Ohio's top trucking carriers right now
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. is number-one in Cincinnati, Ohio this month on the composite ranking. Herrington Transportation Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 91st percentile across Cincinnati, Ohio. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,800/wk
FW TRUCKING rose 19 positions month-over-month, from #21 to #2. FW TRUCKING's top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 90th percentile.
#3HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC — $2,100/wk
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC's weekly pay ranks in the 93rd percentile across Cincinnati, Ohio. HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC ranks in the 99th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data.
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC offers the highest sign-on bonus among Cincinnati, Ohio's top 10 — $10,000.
Also in the top 10: #4 McLeod Express LLC at $1,462/wk, #5 True Transport Inc. at $2,250/wk, #6 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #7 SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at $2,100/wk, #8 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #9 MNS1 EXPRESS INC at $2,050/wk, #10 Mountain States L.P. Gas at $2,000/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Cincinnati, Ohio
The route mix in Cincinnati, Ohio this month tilts OTR: 26% regional, 67% OTR, 5% local, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Cincinnati, Ohio CDL postings: 3% with guaranteed pay, 25% dedicated, 79% take-truck-home, 65% pet-friendly, 66% riders-allowed.
How Cincinnati, Ohio compares to Ohio
| Cincinnati, Ohio | Ohio top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riders-allowed policies | 86% | 67% | +19 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 34% | 49% | -15 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 94% | 80% | +14 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 72% | 61% | +11 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Among the figures above, riders-allowed policies is where Cincinnati, Ohio differs most from Ohio — 19 points above statewide.
Driving CDL in Cincinnati
Cincinnati anchors southwest Ohio at the I-71 / I-75 / I-74 cross. Procter & Gamble distribution, Kroger HQ supply chains, and Amazon Air at CVG account for most loads. Cost of living is below the national average. Ohio River bridges are bottlenecks. Winter weather is moderate by Midwest standards.
Driving CDL in Ohio
Ohio sits at the center of the US manufacturing belt and runs about as much through-freight as any state. I-70, I-71, I-75, and the Ohio Turnpike form a freight grid that's flat, generally well-maintained, and forgiving for newer drivers — Ohio is one of the better states to gain initial OTR experience. The Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati metros each anchor distinct lane profiles (auto and distribution among them). Winter operational risk is real — lake-effect off Erie, freezing rain in the central part of the state — but less extreme than the Great Plains states. Ohio cost of living is below the national average, which makes the income math work better than the headline pay numbers suggest.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Cincinnati, Ohio
- CDL driver salary in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Best trucking companies in Ohio
The methodology behind the rankings
The composite score is 30% compensation, 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits, and 20% operational performance. Pay percentiles are computed against carriers currently hiring in each market; FMCSA percentiles come from SAFER and weight unsafe-driving and hours-of-service violations 2× heavier than the other three dimensions. Updated November 2026.