Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Des Moines, Iowa (September 2026)
Lanefinder's index counts 329 active W2 trucking carriers in Des Moines, Iowa this September 2026. 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. 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 September 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 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 is number-one in Des Moines, Iowa this month on the composite ranking. Strongest FMCSA dimension is driver fitness — 93rd percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,750/wk
FW TRUCKING ranks in the 92nd percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#3PREMIER TRANSPORTATION — $1,950/wk
PREMIER TRANSPORTATION's weekly pay ranks in the 87th percentile across Des Moines, Iowa. Top FMCSA dimension here is driver fitness, in the 98th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #6 TDR TRANSPORT at $2,200/wk, #7 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #8 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #9 Badger Express LLC at $1,700/wk, #10 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/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 24%; 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riders-allowed policies | 88% | 76% | +12 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 78% | 67% | +11 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 94% | 88% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
The largest gap is on riders-allowed policies: Des Moines, Iowa sits 12 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 September 2026.