Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in DeKalb, Illinois (September 2026)
DeKalb, Illinois has 437 active W2 trucking carriers as of September 2026. The carriers ranked below are scored on real driver pay, FMCSA safety, benefits, and how they treat applicants. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,700 and an average $5,000 sign-on bonus. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,750/week. Illinois anchors the US rail and truck network through Chicago, the largest intermodal hub in North America, with I-80 / I-90 / I-55 feeding a dense concentration of manufacturing, warehousing, and cold-chain freight.
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 DeKalb, Illinois this month
The top of the list is WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $1,700/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC — $1,700/wk
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads the DeKalb, Illinois market on combined pay and ranking score this month. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC ranks in the 93rd percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,750/wk
FW TRUCKING's top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 92nd percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#3HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC — $2,100/wk
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC pays above the 89th percentile on weekly pay for the DeKalb, Illinois market. On hours-of-service compliance, the carrier ranks in the 99th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data.
For sign-on cash, HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC posts the largest bonus in DeKalb, Illinois's top 10 at $10,000.
Also in the top 10: #4 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #5 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #6 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 TDR TRANSPORT at $2,200/wk, #8 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #9 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #10 Badger Express LLC at $1,700/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in DeKalb, Illinois
23% of DeKalb, Illinois's active CDL postings are regional and 65% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (12%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 4% of DeKalb, Illinois postings; dedicated routes at 26%; take-truck-home at 76%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 61% and riders-allowed at 63%.
How DeKalb, Illinois compares to Illinois
DeKalb, Illinois's biggest divergence from Illinois is on riders-allowed policies, 6 points above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Illinois
Illinois is one of the most strategically located CDL states — Chicago is the largest US intermodal rail hub, so a huge percentage of national freight passes through. The metro lanes pay well but congestion on I-80, I-90, and I-294 is consistent enough to be a real income variable. Outside the Chicago metro, downstate Illinois looks much more like Iowa or Indiana — agricultural freight, less density, easier driving. State income tax is moderate. The winter operational profile is severe: lake-effect snow, road salt, and the freezing-thawing cycle eat equipment faster than most southern states.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in DeKalb, Illinois
- CDL driver salary in DeKalb, Illinois
- Best trucking companies in Illinois
How we compile these rankings
Four weighted components. Compensation carries 30% and includes pay percentile, sign-on bonus tier, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement frequency. FMCSA safety carries 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions. Benefits carry 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator carriers. Operational performance carries 20%, measuring application responsiveness and fleet scale. Updated September 2026.