Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Hartford, Connecticut (September 2026)
Lanefinder is tracking 248 W2 trucking carriers in Hartford, Connecticut (September 2026). JK MOVING & STORAGE INC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. PREMIER TRANSPORTATION follows at $1,912/week. Hartford is the I-91 / I-84 junction in central Connecticut, with aerospace and defense manufacturing (Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford and RTX-related suppliers) generating high-value freight and distribution serving the dense New England consumer market.
What changed in September 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 Hartford, Connecticut this month
The top of the list is JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC leads the Hartford, Connecticut market on combined pay and ranking score this month. Weekly pay here lands in the 94th percentile across Hartford, Connecticut. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 93rd percentile.
#2PREMIER TRANSPORTATION — $1,912/wk
PREMIER TRANSPORTATION's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 98th percentile.
#3Covenant Transport Inc — $1,762/wk
Covenant Transport Inc ranks in the 99th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 HandledNow LLC at $1,883/wk, #5 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #6 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk, #7 True Transport Inc. at $2,250/wk, #8 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk, #9 JS HELWIG & SON LLC at $1,850/wk, #10 G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC at $2,045/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Hartford, Connecticut
Of active CDL postings in Hartford, Connecticut this month, 18% are regional and 71% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 11%.
Across Hartford, Connecticut CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 26% dedicated, 72% take-truck-home, 58% pet-friendly, 59% riders-allowed.
Where Hartford, Connecticut differs from the Connecticut baseline
| Hartford, Connecticut | Connecticut top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 86% | 78% | +8 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 78% | 70% | +8 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
The largest gap is on take-truck-home: Hartford, Connecticut sits 8 points above the Connecticut baseline.
Driving CDL in Connecticut
Connecticut CDL work is mostly last-mile and short-haul on the dense I-95 / I-91 / I-84 metro grid feeding the Northeast corridor. The Port of New Haven handles breakbulk; aerospace and defense manufacturing (Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, Sikorsky in Stratford, plus RTX-related supplier networks) generate high-value freight. Cost of living is among the highest in the country and state income tax is high. Many drivers based here run out-of-state lanes to keep the math working. Truck-route restrictions on parkways and dense urban congestion make CT one of the higher-overhead states to operate in.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Hartford, Connecticut
- CDL driver salary in Hartford, Connecticut
- Best trucking companies in Connecticut
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.