Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Franklin, Tennessee (September 2026)
396 carriers in Franklin, Tennessee are actively recruiting W2 company drivers as of September 2026. Each is scored on a composite of compensation, FMCSA safety, benefits, and operational performance. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,700 and an average $5,000 sign-on bonus. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,750/week. Tennessee is a critical national freight crossroads: Memphis hosts the FedEx global air hub and a major trucking interchange on I-40 / I-55, while Nashville-area automotive and manufacturing plants drive dense I-65 / I-24 lane activity.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Franklin, Tennessee's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $1,700/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC — $1,700/wk
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads the Franklin, Tennessee market on combined pay and ranking score this month. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 93rd percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Franklin, Tennessee median.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,750/wk
FW TRUCKING's FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 92nd percentile. FW TRUCKING responds to driver applications more reliably than the Franklin, Tennessee median.
#3HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC — $2,100/wk
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC pays above the 89th percentile on weekly pay for the Franklin, Tennessee market. Top FMCSA dimension here is hours-of-service compliance, in the 99th percentile.
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC leads Franklin, Tennessee's top 10 on sign-on bonus, advertising $10,000 for new drivers.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 IMPERIAL EXPRESS LLC at $1,500/wk, #6 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 TDR TRANSPORT at $2,200/wk, #8 Clean Recompression LLC at $2,000/wk, #9 WOODFIELD INC at $1,450/wk, #10 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Franklin, Tennessee
The route mix in Franklin, Tennessee this month tilts OTR: 21% regional, 73% OTR, 5% local, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Franklin, Tennessee CDL postings: 3% with guaranteed pay, 27% dedicated, 79% take-truck-home, 65% pet-friendly, 65% riders-allowed.
Where Franklin, Tennessee differs from the Tennessee baseline
Franklin, Tennessee's biggest divergence from Tennessee is on riders-allowed policies, 12 points above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Tennessee
Tennessee is a critical national freight crossroads: Memphis hosts the FedEx Express World Hub — one of the world's largest air cargo hubs by tonnage — and a major trucking interchange on I-40 / I-55, with the nightly sort cycle generating enormous regional dispatch demand. Nashville-area automotive (Nissan Smyrna) and manufacturing drive dense I-65 / I-24 lane activity. Cost of living is below the national average; Tennessee has no state income tax on wages. East TN (Chattanooga, Knoxville) is mountain-adjacent — I-40 east through the Smokies and I-24 across Monteagle pass have real winter weight.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Franklin, Tennessee
- CDL driver salary in Franklin, Tennessee
- Best trucking companies in Tennessee
The methodology behind the rankings
Pay carriers against each other within the same market (30%). Layer a weighted FMCSA SAFER safety percentile on top (25%). Score the benefits package against what actually matters for the hiring type — W2 health/financial benefits or owner-op operational perks (25%). Finish with operational performance: responsiveness to driver applications plus fleet scale (20%). All percentiles are recomputed monthly. Updated September 2026.