Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Des Plaines, Illinois (May 2026)
467 W2 trucking carriers are currently posting jobs in Des Plaines, Illinois as of May 2026. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/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 May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
The trucking companies leading Des Plaines, Illinois this month
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 is number-one in Des Plaines, Illinois this month on the composite ranking. The carrier ranks in the 95th percentile for weekly pay in Des Plaines, Illinois. Top FMCSA dimension here is controlled-substances compliance, in the 88th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. sits in the 97th percentile for weekly pay among Des Plaines, Illinois carriers. Strongest FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance — 99th percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's 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 Plaines, Illinois 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 OMAHA TRACK INC at $2,000/wk, #6 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #7 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #8 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk, #9 CUSTOM COMMODITIES TRANSPORT at $1,750/wk, #10 Badger Express LLC at $1,700/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Des Plaines, Illinois
Of active CDL postings in Des Plaines, Illinois this month, 23% are regional and 63% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 14%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Des Plaines, Illinois postings; dedicated routes at 26%; take-truck-home at 73%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 59% and riders-allowed at 59%.
How Des Plaines, Illinois compares to Illinois
| Des Plaines, Illinois | Illinois top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 33% | 44% | -11 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 27% | 33% | -6 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 90% | 85% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Among the figures above, sign-on bonus availability is where Des Plaines, Illinois differs most from Illinois — 11 points below statewide.
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 Des Plaines, Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Des Plaines, Illinois
- Best trucking companies in Illinois
The methodology behind the rankings
Carriers are scored against carriers in their own market. The composite is 30% compensation (pay + bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement cadence), 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits (W2 vs owner-op scoring), and 20% operational performance (responsiveness + fleet scale). No paid placement — the weights are the same for every carrier in the index. Updated May 2026.