Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Grand Rapids, Michigan (November 2026)
Through November 2026, 351 carriers in Grand Rapids, Michigan employ W2 company drivers across the lanes Lanefinder tracks. Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. McLeod Express LLC follows at $1,550/week. Grand Rapids is a regional manufacturing and distribution hub on US-131 / I-196 in western Michigan, with office furniture, food processing, and automotive Tier-1 suppliers generating industrial freight to Midwest markets.
What changed in November 2026
McLeod Express LLC at #2, SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at #5, and MNS1 EXPRESS INC at #7 are new to the top 50 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Biggest climb: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#32 → #1). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#1 → #20) and REISCH TRUCKING INC (#38 → #50). Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 7 left, and 39 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrington Transportation Inc. | #32 | #1 | Up 31 places |
| McLeod Express LLC | Not ranked | #2 | New |
| True Transport Inc. | #10 | #3 | Up 7 places |
| PREMIER TRANSPORTATION | #2 | #4 | Down 2 places |
| SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC | Not ranked | #5 | New |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #3 | #6 | Down 3 places |
| MNS1 EXPRESS INC | Not ranked | #7 | New |
| Covenant Transport Inc | #4 | #8 | Down 4 places |
| Mountain States L.P. Gas | Not ranked | #9 | New |
| DICK LAVY TRUCKING | Not ranked | #10 | New |
| PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC | #6 | #11 | Down 5 places |
| ARKA EXPRESS INC | Not ranked | #12 | New |
| South East Carriers INC | #5 | #13 | Down 8 places |
| Badger Express LLC | #7 | #14 | Down 7 places |
| JS HELWIG & SON LLC | #9 | #15 | Down 6 places |
| G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC | #11 | #16 | Down 5 places |
| Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. | #8 | #17 | Down 9 places |
| ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC | #12 | #18 | Down 6 places |
| C & G TRANSPORTATION INC | #14 | #19 | Down 5 places |
| LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY | #1 | #20 | Down 19 places |
| MC CARRIER LLC | #15 | #21 | Down 6 places |
| BRADY TRUCKING INC | #13 | #22 | Down 9 places |
| HOLLAND ENTERPRISES INC | #21 | #23 | Down 2 places |
| KEN GRAHAM TRUCKING INC | #17 | #24 | Down 7 places |
| A & H INC | #23 | #25 | Down 2 places |
| RIVER CITY TRANSPORT INC | #19 | #26 | Down 7 places |
| AFC Transport, Inc | #24 | #27 | Down 3 places |
| Scotland Transportation LLC | #34 | #28 | Up 6 places |
| PASCAL CARRIER INC | #22 | #29 | Down 7 places |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #25 | #30 | Down 5 places |
| Z TRANSPORTATION INC | #30 | #31 | Down 1 place |
| Brenny Specialized Inc | #29 | #32 | Down 3 places |
| Excel Trucking LLC | #27 | #33 | Down 6 places |
| EA EXPRESS LLC | #28 | #34 | Down 6 places |
| AN ENTERPRISE INC | #26 | #35 | Down 9 places |
| LUCKY WORLD INC | Not ranked | #36 | New |
| CARGORX DRY CAPACITY | #35 | #37 | Down 2 places |
| BARTELS TRUCK LINE INC | #33 | #38 | Down 5 places |
| GURTLER INDUSTRIES INC | #37 | #39 | Down 2 places |
| HUTCHINSON TRUCKING LLC | #36 | #40 | Down 4 places |
| GT WORLDWIDE TRANSPORT INC | #40 | #41 | Down 1 place |
| TDR TRANSPORT | #39 | #42 | Down 3 places |
| JL LOGISTICS INC | #42 | #43 | Down 1 place |
| CTK LOGISTICS LLC | #43 | #44 | Down 1 place |
| Bakers Express | #44 | #46 | Down 2 places |
| EAGLE EYE TRUCK LINES LLC | #46 | #47 | Down 1 place |
| S & R TRANSPORTATION LLC | #47 | #48 | Down 1 place |
| National Express Carriers | #48 | #49 | Down 1 place |
| REISCH TRUCKING INC | #38 | #50 | Down 12 places |
| H & M TRUCKING INC | #16 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #18 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WILLIAMS PRESTIGE ENTERPRISE | #20 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| A.D. Transport Express, Inc. | #31 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Caravan Inc | #41 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| 1 MTX LLC | #49 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Parks Motor Group Inc | #50 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Grand Rapids, Michigan's top trucking carriers right now
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. is number-one in Grand Rapids, Michigan this month on the composite ranking. Herrington Transportation Inc. sits in the 91st percentile for weekly pay among Grand Rapids, Michigan carriers. Lanefinder's application data flags Herrington Transportation Inc. as a responsive employer.
#2McLeod Express LLC — $1,550/wk
McLeod Express LLC is new to the Grand Rapids, Michigan top 50 this month — first appearance in this ranking. McLeod Express LLC ranks in the 94th percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data. The comp package includes a guaranteed-pay structure — useful when freight slows.
Among Grand Rapids, Michigan's top 10, only McLeod Express LLC pays guaranteed weekly wages — useful if route variance matters.
#3True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. rose 7 positions month-over-month, from #10 to #3. True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 96th percentile across Grand Rapids, Michigan. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 98th percentile.
For pure pay maximization, True Transport Inc. beats the #1-ranked carrier weekly at $2,250.
Also in the top 10: #4 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #5 SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at $2,100/wk, #6 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #7 MNS1 EXPRESS INC at $2,050/wk, #8 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #9 Mountain States L.P. Gas at $2,000/wk, #10 DICK LAVY TRUCKING at $1,950/wk.
What Grand Rapids, Michigan drivers actually run
23% of Grand Rapids, Michigan's active CDL postings are regional and 73% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (4%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of Grand Rapids, Michigan postings; dedicated routes at 24%; take-truck-home at 77%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 66% and riders-allowed at 66%.
Grand Rapids, Michigan vs Michigan: the numbers that diverge
| Grand Rapids, Michigan | Michigan top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 94% | 80% | +14 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 30% | 42% | -12 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 76% | 66% | +10 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 82% | 76% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
The largest gap is on take-truck-home: Grand Rapids, Michigan sits 14 points above the Michigan baseline.
Driving CDL in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids anchors west Michigan on I-96 / US-131. Office furniture manufacturing (Steelcase headquartered in Grand Rapids, acquired by HNI in Dec 2025; MillerKnoll based in nearby Zeeland), food processing, and consumer goods distribution fill out the regional load boards. Lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan is severe — west MI gets significant winter weather. Cost of living is below the national average.
Driving CDL in Michigan
Michigan is the US automotive heartland — a huge share of CDL work in the state is tied to auto-parts inbound or finished-vehicle outbound. Detroit / Dearborn / Flint lanes have a distinctive operational rhythm that follows plant production schedules, including summer shutdown weeks when freight volume often drops. Winter is the dominant operational variable: lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan can shut down west-side runs, and the freeze-thaw cycle on I-94, I-75, and I-96 means road surfaces are rough year-round. State income tax is flat and moderate. The Upper Peninsula is genuinely remote — long stretches with no fuel stops or services — and most newer drivers shouldn't take UP loads until they've learned the territory.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- CDL driver salary in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Best trucking companies in Michigan
Where this data comes from
Rankings combine four signals: compensation (30%) including pay percentile, sign-on bonuses, guaranteed pay, and settlement frequency; FMCSA safety (25%); benefits (25%) scored differently for W2 vs owner-operator carriers; and operational performance (20%) measuring employer responsiveness and fleet scale. Recomputed monthly from real active job postings. Updated November 2026.