Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Elizabeth, New Jersey (November 2026)
For W2 company drivers in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Lanefinder tracks 306 carriers as of November 2026. HandledNow LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,875 and an average $3,750 sign-on bonus. Herrington Transportation Inc. follows at $2,000/week. New Jersey is the primary Northeast freight gateway through Port Newark / Elizabeth — the busiest container port on the East Coast — with the NJ Turnpike (I-95) and dense intermodal facilities serving the New York metro market.
What changed in November 2026
Mountain States L.P. Gas at #5 and DICK LAVY TRUCKING at #7 are new to the top 50 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Biggest climb: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#26 → #2). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#2 → #19) and REISCH TRUCKING INC (#37 → #47). Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 6 left, and 36 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
The trucking companies leading Elizabeth, New Jersey this month
The top of the list is HandledNow LLC at $1,875/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1HandledNow LLC — $1,875/wk
HandledNow LLC is number-one in Elizabeth, New Jersey this month on the composite ranking. HandledNow LLC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 99th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
#2Herrington Transportation Inc. — $2,000/wk
Herrington Transportation Inc. climbed from #26 to #2 this month — one of the biggest moves in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Herrington Transportation Inc. pays above the 86th percentile on weekly pay for the Elizabeth, New Jersey market. Herrington Transportation Inc. responds to driver applications more reliably than the Elizabeth, New Jersey median.
#3True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. is up from #9 last month, one of the largest jumps in the Elizabeth, New Jersey ranking. The carrier ranks in the 97th percentile for weekly pay in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 98th percentile.
Despite ranking below #1, True Transport Inc. outpays the leader on weekly average — $2,250/week.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 Mountain States L.P. Gas at $2,000/wk, #6 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 DICK LAVY TRUCKING at $1,950/wk, #8 Maumee Express, Inc. at $1,925/wk, #9 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #10 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Elizabeth, New Jersey
19% of Elizabeth, New Jersey's active CDL postings are regional and 65% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (16%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of Elizabeth, New Jersey postings; dedicated routes at 30%; take-truck-home at 68%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 57% and riders-allowed at 57%.
How Elizabeth, New Jersey compares to New Jersey
| Elizabeth, New Jersey | New Jersey top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated routes | 24% | 38% | -14 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 86% | 80% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Elizabeth, New Jersey's biggest divergence from New Jersey is on dedicated routes, 14 points below the state baseline.
Driving CDL in New Jersey
New Jersey is the primary Northeast freight gateway through Port Newark-Elizabeth — the busiest container port on the East Coast — with the NJ Turnpike (I-95) and dense intermodal facilities feeding the New York metro market. Drayage out of the port is a major CDL segment. Cost of living is high; New Jersey state income tax is high and graduated (peaks above 10%). Bridge and tunnel tolls, truck-route restrictions on the Garden State Parkway (trucks over 10,000 lb are barred north of Exit 105), and limits on certain Hudson crossings add planning overhead. Traffic around Fort Lee and the George Washington Bridge (I-95) is among the worst in the country.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Elizabeth, New Jersey
- CDL driver salary in Elizabeth, New Jersey
- Best trucking companies in New Jersey
How we compile these rankings
Compensation (30%): pay percentile + sign-on bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement frequency. FMCSA safety (25%): weighted percentile across vehicle maintenance, unsafe driving, hours-of-service, driver fitness, and controlled substances. Benefits (25%): hiring-type-aware. Operational (20%): driver-application responsiveness, modulated by fleet scale. Updated November 2026.