Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Clifton, New Jersey (September 2026)
Lanefinder's index counts 302 active W2 trucking carriers in Clifton, New Jersey this September 2026. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. Covenant Transport Inc follows at $1,762/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 September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Where CDL pay is strongest in Clifton, New Jersey this month
The top of the list is JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC is number-one in Clifton, New Jersey this month on the composite ranking. Weekly pay here lands in the 95th percentile across Clifton, New Jersey. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 93rd percentile.
#2Covenant Transport Inc — $1,762/wk
Covenant Transport Inc's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 99th percentile.
#3Maumee Express, Inc. — $1,925/wk
Maumee Express, Inc. sits in the 86th percentile for weekly pay among Clifton, New Jersey carriers. Maumee Express, Inc.'s top FMCSA dimension is vehicle maintenance, in the 97th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 ROAD SCHOLAR TRANSPORTATION LLC at $2,000/wk, #5 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #6 HandledNow LLC at $1,875/wk, #7 ECM ENERGY SERVICES INC at $1,950/wk, #8 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk, #9 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk, #10 JS HELWIG & SON LLC at $1,850/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 65% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (16%).
Across Clifton, New Jersey CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 29% dedicated, 68% take-truck-home, 58% pet-friendly, 56% riders-allowed.
Where Clifton, New Jersey differs from the New Jersey baseline
The largest gap is on take-truck-home: Clifton, New Jersey sits 10 points above 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 the largest single CDL segment. Cost of living is high; New Jersey state income tax is high and graduated (peaks above 10%). Bridge tolls and truck-route restrictions on the Garden State Parkway (no trucks allowed) and certain Hudson crossings add planning overhead. NJ Turnpike traffic is consistently in the worst US tier.
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 September 2026.