Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Dubuque, Iowa (November 2026)
Dubuque, Iowa has 345 active W2 trucking carriers as of November 2026. The carriers ranked below are scored on real driver pay, FMCSA safety, benefits, and how they treat applicants. Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,850/week. Iowa freight is shaped by its agricultural output — corn, soybeans, and ethanol — moving on I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south, with Des Moines serving as the primary distribution crossroads.
What changed in November 2026
MNS1 EXPRESS INC at #6, McLeod Express LLC at #7, and Mountain States L.P. Gas at #9 are new to the top 50 in Dubuque, Iowa. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#31 → #1) and FW TRUCKING (#14 → #2). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#1 → #22) and REISCH TRUCKING INC (#40 → #50). Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 7 left, and 38 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrington Transportation Inc. | #31 | #1 | Up 30 places |
| FW TRUCKING | #14 | #2 | Up 12 places |
| True Transport Inc. | #11 | #3 | Up 8 places |
| PREMIER TRANSPORTATION | #2 | #4 | Down 2 places |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #3 | #5 | Down 2 places |
| MNS1 EXPRESS INC | Not ranked | #6 | New |
| McLeod Express LLC | Not ranked | #7 | New |
| Covenant Transport Inc | #4 | #8 | Down 4 places |
| Mountain States L.P. Gas | Not ranked | #9 | New |
| Great Plains Trucking Inc. | #5 | #10 | Down 5 places |
| PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC | #6 | #11 | Down 5 places |
| ARKA EXPRESS INC | Not ranked | #12 | New |
| Badger Express LLC | #8 | #13 | Down 5 places |
| SECOR LOGISTICS LLC | #7 | #14 | Down 7 places |
| Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. | #9 | #15 | Down 6 places |
| G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC | #10 | #16 | Down 6 places |
| ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC | #13 | #17 | Down 4 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #12 | #18 | Down 6 places |
| BRADY TRUCKING INC | #15 | #19 | Down 4 places |
| MC CARRIER LLC | #18 | #20 | Down 2 places |
| Wynne Transport Service | Not ranked | #21 | New |
| LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY | #1 | #22 | Down 21 places |
| KEN GRAHAM TRUCKING INC | #17 | #23 | Down 6 places |
| A & H INC | #27 | #24 | Up 3 places |
| KAISER TRANSPORT INC | #20 | #25 | Down 5 places |
| HOLLAND ENTERPRISES INC | #22 | #26 | Down 4 places |
| PASCAL CARRIER INC | #24 | #27 | Down 3 places |
| RIVER CITY TRANSPORT INC | #23 | #28 | Down 5 places |
| HAWKS TRANSPORT LLC | Not ranked | #29 | New |
| Chicago Flameproof and Wood Specialties | #25 | #30 | Down 5 places |
| AFC Transport, Inc | #34 | #31 | Up 3 places |
| AN ENTERPRISE INC | #30 | #32 | Down 2 places |
| Excel Trucking LLC | #28 | #33 | Down 5 places |
| BARTELS TRUCK LINE INC | #33 | #34 | Down 1 place |
| EA EXPRESS LLC | #32 | #35 | Down 3 places |
| LUCKY WORLD INC | Not ranked | #36 | New |
| CARGORX DRY CAPACITY | #36 | #37 | Down 1 place |
| Bertch Cabinet LLC | #35 | #38 | Down 3 places |
| CARGO PROS LLC | #38 | #39 | Down 1 place |
| RAPID RESPONSE, INC. | #39 | #40 | Down 1 place |
| HUTCHINSON TRUCKING LLC | #37 | #41 | Down 4 places |
| CJC CARRIER LLC | #41 | #42 | Down 1 place |
| TDR TRANSPORT | #42 | #43 | Down 1 place |
| Bakers Express | #46 | #45 | Up 1 place |
| SEMO EXPRESS LLC | #47 | #46 | Up 1 place |
| EAGLE EYE TRUCK LINES LLC | #48 | #47 | Up 1 place |
| National Express Carriers | #49 | #48 | Up 1 place |
| S & R TRANSPORTATION LLC | #50 | #49 | Up 1 place |
| REISCH TRUCKING INC | #40 | #50 | Down 10 places |
| H & M TRUCKING INC | #16 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WILLIAMS PRESTIGE ENTERPRISE | #19 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| NEIER INC | #21 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #26 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Z TRANSPORTATION INC | #29 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| GT WORLDWIDE TRANSPORT INC | #43 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| JL LOGISTICS INC | #45 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Dubuque, Iowa's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is Herrington Transportation Inc. at $2,000/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1Herrington Transportation Inc. — $2,000/wk
Herrington Transportation Inc. leads the Dubuque, Iowa market on combined pay and ranking score this month. Herrington Transportation Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 91st percentile across Dubuque, Iowa. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,850/wk
FW TRUCKING climbed from #14 to #2 this month — one of the biggest moves in Dubuque, Iowa. FW TRUCKING's top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 90th percentile.
#3True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. rose 8 positions month-over-month, from #11 to #3. True Transport Inc. pays above the 91st percentile on weekly pay for the Dubuque, Iowa market. True Transport Inc.'s top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 98th percentile.
True Transport Inc. actually pays more weekly than the top-ranked carrier — $2,250/week.
Also in the top 10: #4 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #5 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #6 MNS1 EXPRESS INC at $2,050/wk, #7 McLeod Express LLC at $1,462/wk, #8 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #9 Mountain States L.P. Gas at $2,000/wk, #10 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Dubuque, Iowa
The route mix in Dubuque, Iowa this month tilts OTR: 19% regional, 79% OTR, 1% local, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Dubuque, Iowa CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 24% dedicated, 83% take-truck-home, 67% pet-friendly, 69% riders-allowed.
How Dubuque, Iowa compares to Iowa
| Dubuque, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 94% | 84% | +10 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 82% | 73% | +9 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 30% | 37% | -7 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 70% | 63% | +7 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Among the figures above, take-truck-home is where Dubuque, Iowa differs most from Iowa — 10 points above statewide.
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 flat 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 Dubuque, Iowa
- CDL driver salary in Dubuque, Iowa
- Best trucking companies in Iowa
How we compile these rankings
Lanefinder's ranking algorithm weights compensation at 30%, FMCSA SAFER safety at 25%, benefits at 25%, and operational performance at 20%. Compensation reflects pay percentile plus sign-on bonus, guaranteed pay, and settlement-frequency adjustments. Benefits scoring is hiring-type-aware. Operational performance comes mostly from how carriers handle real driver applications. Updated November 2026.