Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Evanston, Illinois (November 2026)
454 W2 trucking carriers are currently posting jobs in Evanston, Illinois as of November 2026. Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,800/week. Illinois anchors the US rail and truck network through Chicago, the largest intermodal hub in North America, with I-80 / I-90 / I-55 feeding a dense concentration of manufacturing, warehousing, and cold-chain freight.
What changed in November 2026
McLeod Express LLC at #5, SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at #8, and MNS1 EXPRESS INC at #10 are new to the top 50 in Evanston, Illinois. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#38 → #1), FW TRUCKING (#24 → #2), and True Transport Inc. (#17 → #4). Biggest fall: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#1 → #25). Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 7 left, and 37 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
Where CDL pay is strongest in Evanston, Illinois this month
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. tops the Evanston, Illinois ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Herrington Transportation Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 91st percentile across Evanston, Illinois. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,800/wk
FW TRUCKING is up from #24 last month, one of the largest jumps in the Evanston, Illinois ranking. FW TRUCKING's FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 90th percentile.
#3HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC — $2,100/wk
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC's weekly pay ranks in the 93rd percentile across Evanston, Illinois. Top FMCSA dimension here is hours-of-service compliance, in the 99th percentile.
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC offers the highest sign-on bonus among Evanston, Illinois's top 10 — $10,000.
Also in the top 10: #4 True Transport Inc. at $2,250/wk, #5 McLeod Express LLC at $1,462/wk, #6 HandledNow LLC at $1,550/wk, #7 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #8 SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at $2,100/wk, #9 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #10 MNS1 EXPRESS INC at $2,050/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Evanston, Illinois
Of active CDL postings in Evanston, Illinois this month, 24% are regional and 63% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 13%.
Across Evanston, Illinois CDL postings: 3% with guaranteed pay, 28% dedicated, 72% take-truck-home, 59% pet-friendly, 59% riders-allowed.
Evanston, Illinois vs Illinois: the numbers that diverge
| Evanston, Illinois | Illinois top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 35% | 41% | -6 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 31% | 41% | -10 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Among the figures above, dedicated routes is where Evanston, Illinois differs most from Illinois — 10 points below statewide.
Driving CDL in Illinois
Illinois is one of the most strategically located CDL states — Chicago is the largest US intermodal rail hub, so a huge percentage of national freight passes through. The metro lanes pay well but congestion on I-80, I-90, and I-294 is consistent enough to be a real income variable. Outside the Chicago metro, downstate Illinois looks much more like Iowa or Indiana — agricultural freight, less density, easier driving. State income tax is moderate. The winter operational profile is severe: lake-effect snow, road salt, and the freezing-thawing cycle eat equipment faster than most southern states.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Evanston, Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Evanston, Illinois
- Best trucking companies in Illinois
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 November 2026.