Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Durham, North Carolina (May 2026)
As of May 2026, 324 carriers in Durham, North Carolina are posting active jobs for W2 company drivers. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. North Carolina freight moves on I-85 through the Charlotte-to-Raleigh-Durham manufacturing corridor and I-95 north-south, with Port of Wilmington handling containerized exports and a large furniture and textiles production base.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Durham, North Carolina'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 leads the Durham, North Carolina market on combined pay and ranking score this month. The carrier ranks in the 95th percentile for weekly pay in Durham, North Carolina. 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. pays above the 92nd percentile on weekly pay for the Durham, North Carolina market. True Transport Inc. ranks in the 99th percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
Despite ranking below #1, True Transport Inc. outpays the leader on weekly average — $2,250/week.
#3TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC — $2,000/wk
TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC pays above the 86th percentile on weekly pay for the Durham, North Carolina market. On hours-of-service compliance, the carrier ranks in the 97th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Durham, North Carolina.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #6 HMD TRUCKING INC at $1,800/wk, #7 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #8 Maumee Express, Inc. at $1,925/wk, #9 YARBROUGH TRANSFER COMPANY at $1,850/wk, #10 JS HELWIG & SON LLC at $1,850/wk.
What Durham, North Carolina drivers actually run
Of active CDL postings in Durham, North Carolina this month, 22% are regional and 75% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 3%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 3% of Durham, North Carolina postings; dedicated routes at 24%; take-truck-home at 80%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 66% and riders-allowed at 66%.
How Durham, North Carolina compares to North Carolina
| Durham, North Carolina | North Carolina top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riders-allowed policies | 80% | 73% | +7 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 28% | 33% | -5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Among the figures above, riders-allowed policies is where Durham, North Carolina differs most from North Carolina — 7 points above statewide.
Driving CDL in North Carolina
North Carolina CDL work spans a broad mix — port-and-container out of Wilmington and Morehead City, manufacturing in the Triangle (Raleigh-Durham), distribution and textile freight around Charlotte, and tobacco / agricultural loads from the eastern half of the state. The driver-experience profile is generally favorable: moderate winters, no significant mountain work outside the western tip, and a cost of living well below the national average even in the metro areas. State income tax is flat and moderate. I-85 between Greensboro and Charlotte is one of the busier Southeast freight lanes; weekday congestion through Greensboro is a planning variable. NC is one of the better states for a new CDL driver to build experience without immediately running mountains or severe weather.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Durham, North Carolina
- CDL driver salary in Durham, North Carolina
- Best trucking companies in North Carolina
Where this data comes from
Four weighted components. Compensation carries 30% and includes pay percentile, sign-on bonus tier, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement frequency. FMCSA safety carries 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions. Benefits carry 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator carriers. Operational performance carries 20%, measuring application responsiveness and fleet scale. Updated May 2026.