Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Elyria, Ohio (September 2026)
Elyria, Ohio has 401 active W2 trucking carriers as of September 2026. The carriers ranked below are scored on real driver pay, FMCSA safety, benefits, and how they treat applicants. HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,100 and an average $10,000 sign-on bonus. PREMIER TRANSPORTATION follows at $1,950/week. Ohio sits at the center of the US manufacturing belt, with I-70 / I-71 / I-75 forming a freight grid through Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati and major automotive, steel, and chemical supply chains driving consistent lane demand.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
How Elyria, Ohio compares to Ohio
| Elyria, Ohio | Ohio top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 38% | 43% | -5 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 82% | 71% | +11 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 92% | 82% | +10 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 26% | 35% | -9 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 74% | 65% | +9 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
Among the figures above, riders-allowed policies is where Elyria, Ohio differs most from Ohio — 11 points above statewide.
The trucking companies leading Elyria, Ohio this month
The top of the list is HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC at $2,100/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC — $2,100/wk
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC tops the Elyria, Ohio ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC's weekly pay ranks in the 94th percentile across Elyria, Ohio. Strongest FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance — 99th percentile.
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC offers the highest sign-on bonus among Elyria, Ohio's top 10 — $10,000.
#2PREMIER TRANSPORTATION — $1,950/wk
PREMIER TRANSPORTATION pays above the 84th percentile on weekly pay for the Elyria, Ohio market. PREMIER TRANSPORTATION's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 98th percentile.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC's weekly pay ranks in the 95th percentile across Elyria, Ohio. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC ranks in the 93rd percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #5 TDR TRANSPORT at $2,200/wk, #6 Big Foot Transport LLC at $2,650/wk, #7 MCK TRUCKING INC at $1,700/wk, #8 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #9 KEYSTONE TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC at $1,965/wk, #10 ECM ENERGY SERVICES INC at $1,950/wk.
What Elyria, Ohio drivers actually run
Of active CDL postings in Elyria, Ohio this month, 27% are regional and 66% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 7%.
Across Elyria, Ohio CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 24% dedicated, 78% take-truck-home, 63% pet-friendly, 64% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in Ohio
Ohio sits at the center of the US manufacturing belt and runs about as much through-freight as any state. I-70, I-71, I-75, and the Ohio Turnpike form a freight grid that's flat, generally well-maintained, and forgiving for newer drivers — Ohio is one of the better states to gain initial OTR experience. The Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati metros each anchor distinct lane profiles (auto, distribution, and pharmaceutical respectively). Winter operational risk is real — lake-effect off Erie, freezing rain in the central part of the state — but less extreme than the Great Plains states. Ohio cost of living is below the national average, which makes the income math work better than the headline pay numbers suggest.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Elyria, Ohio
- CDL driver salary in Elyria, Ohio
- Best trucking companies in Ohio
The methodology behind the 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 September 2026.