Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Evanston, Illinois (May 2026)
463 W2 trucking carriers are currently posting jobs in Evanston, Illinois as of May 2026. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/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 May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Where CDL pay is strongest in Evanston, Illinois this month
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 is number-one in Evanston, Illinois this month on the composite ranking. KEEP TRUCKING LLC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Evanston, Illinois carriers. KEEP TRUCKING LLC's top FMCSA dimension is controlled-substances compliance, in the 88th percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags KEEP TRUCKING LLC as a responsive employer.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 97th percentile across Evanston, Illinois. On unsafe-driving avoidance, the carrier ranks in the 99th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. True Transport Inc. responds to driver applications more reliably than the Evanston, Illinois median.
True Transport Inc. actually pays more weekly than the top-ranked carrier — $2,250/week.
#3Covenant Transport Inc — $1,762/wk
Covenant Transport Inc's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 94th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 OMAHA TRACK INC at $2,000/wk, #6 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #7 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #8 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk, #9 CUSTOM COMMODITIES TRANSPORT at $1,750/wk, #10 Badger Express LLC at $1,700/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Evanston, Illinois
Of active CDL postings in Evanston, Illinois this month, 23% are regional and 64% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 13%.
Across Evanston, Illinois CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 26% dedicated, 73% 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% | 44% | -9 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 90% | 85% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Among the figures above, sign-on bonus availability is where Evanston, Illinois differs most from Illinois — 9 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 May 2026.