Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Denton, Texas (September 2026)
387 carriers are hiring W2 company drivers in Denton, Texas right now, per Lanefinder's September 2026 snapshot. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,700 and an average $5,000 sign-on bonus. IMPERIAL EXPRESS LLC follows at $1,600/week. Texas freight moves on I-10 / I-35 / I-20 corridors connecting Gulf Coast energy and Port of Houston to border crossings at Laredo and El Paso — two of the busiest US-Mexico commercial crossings — and large retail and manufacturing distribution inland.
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 Denton, Texas 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 Denton, Texas 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. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC offers the highest sign-on bonus among Denton, Texas's top 10 — $5,000.
#2IMPERIAL EXPRESS LLC — $1,600/wk
IMPERIAL EXPRESS LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 87th percentile. IMPERIAL EXPRESS LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data. IMPERIAL EXPRESS LLC offers a guaranteed weekly minimum.
Among Denton, Texas's top 10, only IMPERIAL EXPRESS LLC pays guaranteed weekly wages — useful if route variance matters.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC sits in the 93rd percentile for weekly pay among Denton, Texas carriers. On unsafe-driving avoidance, the carrier ranks in the 93rd percentile per FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #5 TDR TRANSPORT at $2,200/wk, #6 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #7 FISHER59 LLC at $2,250/wk, #8 AHRENS BROTHERS TRANSPORT INC at $2,275/wk, #9 South East Carriers INC at $1,600/wk, #10 WOODFIELD INC at $1,450/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Denton, Texas
The route mix in Denton, Texas this month tilts OTR: 20% regional, 72% OTR, 6% local, 2% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Denton, Texas postings; dedicated routes at 28%; take-truck-home at 74%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 60% and riders-allowed at 60%.
Denton, Texas vs Texas: the numbers that diverge
Among the figures above, take-truck-home is where Denton, Texas differs most from Texas — 6 points above statewide.
Driving CDL in Texas
Texas is the largest CDL market in the country and the deepest mix of lane types. Cross-border work out of Laredo and El Paso, oil-field service in the Permian Basin, dedicated retail out of Dallas and Houston, and reefer pulling produce out of the Rio Grande Valley all run from different parts of the state — and they pay very differently. Texas has favorable trucking regulations and no state income tax, which is real money on the back end. The summer heat is the operational variable most newcomers underestimate; equipment, hours, and load-securing all behave differently when ambient temps hit 110°F.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Denton, Texas
- CDL driver salary in Denton, Texas
- Best trucking companies in Texas
How we compile these rankings
Composite-score formula: compensation × 0.30, FMCSA safety × 0.25, benefits × 0.25, operational performance × 0.20. Compensation is anchored on pay percentile and lifted by sign-on bonus tier and guaranteed-pay availability. Operational performance is built mostly from driver-application response data in Lanefinder's platform, with fleet-scale percentile contributing a smaller portion. Updated September 2026.