Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Des Moines, Iowa (May 2026)
Lanefinder's index counts 336 active W2 trucking carriers in Des Moines, Iowa this May 2026. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. 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 May 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 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 Des Moines, Iowa market on combined pay and ranking score this month. The carrier ranks in the 95th percentile for weekly pay in Des Moines, Iowa. Top FMCSA dimension here is controlled-substances compliance, in the 88th percentile. KEEP TRUCKING LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 97th percentile across Des Moines, Iowa. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile. True Transport Inc. tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
For pure pay maximization, True Transport Inc. beats the #1-ranked carrier weekly at $2,250.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC pays above the 90th percentile on weekly pay for the Des Moines, Iowa market. On unsafe-driving avoidance, the carrier ranks in the 94th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #5 HMD TRUCKING INC at $1,800/wk, #6 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #7 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #8 KOTTKE TRUCKING INC at $2,000/wk, #9 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk, #10 Badger Express LLC at $1,700/wk.
What Des Moines, Iowa drivers actually run
15% of Des Moines, Iowa's active CDL postings are regional and 82% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (3%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of Des Moines, Iowa postings; dedicated routes at 23%; take-truck-home at 83%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 68% and riders-allowed at 71%.
Des Moines, Iowa vs Iowa: the numbers that diverge
| Des Moines, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 44% | 38% | +6 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 86% | 75% | +11 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 80% | 71% | +9 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
The largest gap is on riders-allowed policies: 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 May 2026.