Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Des Plaines, Illinois (September 2026)
461 W2 trucking carriers are currently posting jobs in Des Plaines, Illinois as of 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. 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 September 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 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 tops the Des Plaines, Illinois ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC ranks in the 93rd percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,750/wk
FW TRUCKING's FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 92nd percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#3HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC — $2,100/wk
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC's weekly pay ranks in the 94th percentile across Des Plaines, Illinois. On hours-of-service compliance, the carrier ranks in the 99th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data.
The top sign-on bonus in Des Plaines, Illinois's top 10 is HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC's — $10,000.
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 TDR TRANSPORT at $2,200/wk, #8 OMAHA TRACK INC at $2,000/wk, #9 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #10 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Des Plaines, Illinois
Of active CDL postings in Des Plaines, Illinois this month, 24% are regional and 62% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 14%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 4% of Des Plaines, Illinois postings; dedicated routes at 26%; take-truck-home at 72%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 59% and riders-allowed at 60%.
How Des Plaines, Illinois compares to Illinois
Among the figures above, sign-on bonus availability is where Des Plaines, Illinois differs most from Illinois — 8 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 September 2026.