Updated July 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Des Moines, Iowa (July 2026)
Lanefinder's index counts 323 active W2 trucking carriers in Des Moines, Iowa this July 2026. LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY leads with an average weekly pay of $1,680. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. Des Moines sits at the I-80 / I-35 junction in central Iowa, serving as the state's primary distribution hub with large outbound volumes of corn, soybeans, and ethanol and growing insurance and financial-sector supply chains.
What changed in July 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Des Moines, Iowa's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY at $1,680/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY — $1,680/wk
LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY leads the Des Moines, Iowa market on combined pay and ranking score this month. LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY ranks in the 91st percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 96th percentile across Des Moines, Iowa. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile.
For pure pay maximization, True Transport Inc. beats the #1-ranked carrier weekly at $2,250.
#3Forest Brook Trucking LLC — $1,600/wk
Forest Brook Trucking LLC's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 97th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
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 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #8 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #9 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk, #10 Badger Express LLC at $1,700/wk.
What Des Moines, Iowa drivers actually run
16% of Des Moines, Iowa's active CDL postings are regional and 82% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (2%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Des Moines, Iowa postings; dedicated routes at 23%; take-truck-home at 82%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 68% and riders-allowed at 69%.
Des Moines, Iowa vs Iowa: the numbers that diverge
| Des Moines, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $1,935 | $1,886 | +3% |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 80% | 69% | +11 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 84% | 73% | +11 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, July 2026
The largest gap is on pet-friendly fleets: Des Moines, Iowa sits 11 points above the Iowa baseline.
Driving CDL in Iowa
Iowa freight is shaped by the state's agricultural output — corn, soybeans, ethanol, pork — moving on the I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south corridors. Des Moines serves as the primary distribution crossroads. Cedar Rapids and Davenport (Quad Cities) add manufacturing and food-processing freight. Iowa runs a moderate graduated state income tax; living costs are among the lowest in the Midwest. Winter is severe — wind off the prairie plus drifting snow plus black ice on I-80 makes route timing genuinely consequential from December through March.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Des Moines, Iowa
- CDL driver salary in Des Moines, Iowa
- Best trucking companies in Iowa
The methodology behind the rankings
Rankings combine four signals: compensation (30%) including pay percentile, sign-on bonuses, guaranteed pay, and settlement frequency; FMCSA safety (25%); benefits (25%) scored differently for W2 vs owner-operator carriers; and operational performance (20%) measuring employer responsiveness and fleet scale. Recomputed monthly from real active job postings. Updated July 2026.