Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Illinois (May 2026)
Lanefinder tracks 727 W2 trucking carriers hiring in Illinois. Rankings below reflect May 2026 data: pay percentiles, FMCSA safety, benefit prevalence, and operational performance. 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.
The trucking companies leading 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 leads the Illinois market on combined pay and ranking score this month. The carrier ranks in the 96th percentile for weekly pay in Illinois. Strongest FMCSA dimension is controlled-substances compliance — 88th percentile. KEEP TRUCKING LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. sits in the 97th percentile for weekly pay among Illinois carriers. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
For pure pay maximization, True Transport Inc. beats the #1-ranked carrier weekly at $2,250.
#3Covenant Transport Inc — $1,762/wk
Covenant Transport Inc pays above the 80th percentile on weekly pay for the Illinois market. Top FMCSA dimension here is hours-of-service compliance, in the 94th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #6 MCK TRUCKING INC at $1,700/wk, #7 OMAHA TRACK INC at $2,000/wk, #8 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #9 DIVINE ENTERPRISES at $1,375/wk, #10 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Illinois
27% of Illinois's active CDL postings are regional and 54% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (19%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Illinois postings; dedicated routes at 28%; take-truck-home at 66%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 54% and riders-allowed at 54%.
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 Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Illinois
- Best trucking companies in the United States
The methodology behind the rankings
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 May 2026.