Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Dubuque, Iowa (May 2026)
Dubuque, Iowa has 349 active W2 trucking carriers as of May 2026. The carriers ranked below are scored on real driver pay, FMCSA safety, benefits, and how they treat applicants. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/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 May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Dubuque, 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 tops the Dubuque, Iowa ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. KEEP TRUCKING LLC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Dubuque, Iowa carriers. KEEP TRUCKING LLC's top FMCSA dimension is controlled-substances compliance, in the 88th percentile. KEEP TRUCKING LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Dubuque, Iowa median.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. pays above the 92nd percentile on weekly pay for the Dubuque, Iowa market. True Transport Inc.'s top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile. True Transport Inc. responds to driver applications more reliably than the Dubuque, Iowa median.
True Transport Inc. actually pays more weekly than the top-ranked carrier — $2,250/week.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Dubuque, Iowa carriers. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC ranks in the 94th percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #5 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #6 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #7 KEN GRAHAM TRUCKING INC at $2,000/wk, #8 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk, #9 KOTTKE TRUCKING INC at $2,000/wk, #10 Badger Express LLC at $1,700/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Dubuque, Iowa
The route mix in Dubuque, Iowa this month tilts OTR: 18% regional, 81% OTR, 1% local, 0% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Dubuque, Iowa CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 22% dedicated, 83% take-truck-home, 68% pet-friendly, 70% riders-allowed.
How Dubuque, Iowa compares to Iowa
| Dubuque, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 44% | 38% | +6 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 82% | 75% | +7 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 76% | 71% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Among the figures above, riders-allowed policies is where Dubuque, Iowa differs most from Iowa — 7 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 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 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 May 2026.