Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Clifton, New Jersey (May 2026)
Lanefinder's index counts 306 active W2 trucking carriers in Clifton, New Jersey this May 2026. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/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 May 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 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 leads the Clifton, New Jersey market on combined pay and ranking score this month. KEEP TRUCKING LLC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Clifton, New Jersey carriers. KEEP TRUCKING LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on controlled-substances compliance — 88th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Clifton, New Jersey.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 97th percentile across Clifton, New Jersey. On unsafe-driving avoidance, the carrier ranks in the 99th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Clifton, New Jersey.
True Transport Inc. actually pays more weekly than the top-ranked carrier — $2,250/week.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Clifton, New Jersey carriers. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 94th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #5 HMD TRUCKING INC at $1,800/wk, #6 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #7 Maumee Express, Inc. at $1,925/wk, #8 ECM ENERGY SERVICES INC at $1,950/wk, #9 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk, #10 DIVINE ENTERPRISES at $1,375/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Clifton, New Jersey
18% of Clifton, New Jersey's active CDL postings are regional and 67% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (15%).
Across Clifton, New Jersey CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 28% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 88% | 81% | +7 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 24% | 30% | -6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
The largest gap is on take-truck-home: Clifton, New Jersey sits 7 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 May 2026.