Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Clifton, New Jersey (November 2026)
Lanefinder's index counts 304 active W2 trucking carriers in Clifton, New Jersey this November 2026. HandledNow LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,875 and an average $3,750 sign-on bonus. Herrington Transportation Inc. follows at $2,000/week. New Jersey is the primary Northeast freight gateway through Port Newark / Elizabeth — the busiest container port on the East Coast — with the NJ Turnpike (I-95) and dense intermodal facilities serving the New York metro market.
What changed in November 2026
Mountain States L.P. Gas at #5 and DICK LAVY TRUCKING at #7 are new to the top 50 in Clifton, New Jersey. Biggest climb: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#29 → #2). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#2 → #20) and REISCH TRUCKING INC (#35 → #47). Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 6 left, and 38 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
Where CDL pay is strongest in Clifton, New Jersey this month
The top of the list is HandledNow LLC at $1,875/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1HandledNow LLC — $1,875/wk
HandledNow LLC leads the Clifton, New Jersey market on combined pay and ranking score this month. Strongest FMCSA dimension is driver fitness — 99th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2Herrington Transportation Inc. — $2,000/wk
Herrington Transportation Inc. rose 27 positions month-over-month, from #29 to #2. Weekly pay here lands in the 91st percentile across Clifton, New Jersey. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#3True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. climbed from #10 to #3 this month — one of the biggest moves in Clifton, New Jersey. Pay sits above the 91st percentile in the Clifton, New Jersey market. On unsafe-driving avoidance, the carrier ranks in the 98th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data.
True Transport Inc. actually pays more weekly than the top-ranked carrier — $2,250/week.
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 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 DICK LAVY TRUCKING at $1,950/wk, #8 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #9 Maumee Express, Inc. at $1,925/wk, #10 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Clifton, New Jersey
19% of Clifton, New Jersey's active CDL postings are regional and 66% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (15%).
Across Clifton, New Jersey CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 29% dedicated, 69% take-truck-home, 58% pet-friendly, 57% riders-allowed.
Where Clifton, New Jersey differs from the New Jersey baseline
| Clifton, New Jersey | New Jersey top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated routes | 24% | 38% | -14 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 86% | 80% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
The largest gap is on dedicated routes: Clifton, New Jersey sits 14 points below the New Jersey baseline.
Driving CDL in New Jersey
New Jersey is the primary Northeast freight gateway through Port Newark-Elizabeth — the busiest container port on the East Coast — with the NJ Turnpike (I-95) and dense intermodal facilities feeding the New York metro market. Drayage out of the port is a major CDL segment. Cost of living is high; New Jersey state income tax is high and graduated (peaks above 10%). Bridge and tunnel tolls, truck-route restrictions on the Garden State Parkway (trucks over 10,000 lb are barred north of Exit 105), and limits on certain Hudson crossings add planning overhead. Traffic around Fort Lee and the George Washington Bridge (I-95) is among the worst in the country.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Clifton, New Jersey
- CDL driver salary in Clifton, New Jersey
- Best trucking companies in New Jersey
Where this data comes from
Compensation is the largest single weight at 30% — pay percentile, sign-on bonus, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement cadence. FMCSA safety contributes 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions with unsafe-driving and hours-of-service weighted 2× heavier. Benefits contribute 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator and 1099 carriers. Operational performance — application responsiveness and fleet scale — contributes 20%. Updated November 2026.