Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Independence, Missouri (November 2026)
361 carriers in Independence, Missouri are actively recruiting W2 company drivers as of November 2026. Each is scored on a composite of compensation, FMCSA safety, benefits, and operational performance. Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,800/week. Missouri freight is shaped by the St. Louis and Kansas City hubs anchoring I-70 / I-44 / I-55 corridors, with the Mississippi and Missouri rivers providing barge access for agricultural and bulk commodity shipments.
What changed in November 2026
SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at #6, MNS1 EXPRESS INC at #7, and Mountain States L.P. Gas at #9 are new to the top 50 in Independence, Missouri. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#32 → #1) and FW TRUCKING (#18 → #2). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#1 → #23) and REISCH TRUCKING INC (#39 → #50). Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 7 left, and 32 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrington Transportation Inc. | #32 | #1 | Up 31 places |
| FW TRUCKING | #18 | #2 | Up 16 places |
| PREMIER TRANSPORTATION | #2 | #3 | Down 1 place |
| True Transport Inc. | #12 | #4 | Up 8 places |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #3 | #5 | Down 2 places |
| SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC | Not ranked | #6 | New |
| 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 |
| CAR TRANSPORT INC | Not ranked | #11 | New |
| Great Plains Trucking Inc. | #5 | #12 | Down 7 places |
| PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC | #7 | #13 | Down 6 places |
| KANSAS CITY INTERMODAL LLC | #8 | #14 | Down 6 places |
| SCHMUHL BROTHERS INC | #6 | #15 | Down 9 places |
| Badger Express LLC | #9 | #16 | Down 7 places |
| Farmers Oil Company Inc | #11 | #17 | Down 6 places |
| Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. | #10 | #18 | Down 8 places |
| G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC | #14 | #19 | Down 5 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #13 | #20 | Down 7 places |
| ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC | #15 | #21 | Down 6 places |
| MC CARRIER LLC | #17 | #22 | Down 5 places |
| LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY | #1 | #23 | Down 22 places |
| BRADY TRUCKING INC | #16 | #24 | Down 8 places |
| Wynne Transport Service | Not ranked | #25 | New |
| HOLLAND ENTERPRISES INC | #23 | #26 | Down 3 places |
| SUMMERFORD TRUCK LINE INC | #26 | #27 | Down 1 place |
| KAISER TRANSPORT INC | #24 | #28 | Down 4 places |
| RIVER CITY TRANSPORT INC | #21 | #29 | Down 8 places |
| AFC Transport, Inc | #33 | #31 | Up 2 places |
| Alco Transportation Inc | #27 | #32 | Down 5 places |
| Excel Trucking LLC | #29 | #33 | Down 4 places |
| AN ENTERPRISE INC | #31 | #34 | Down 3 places |
| CARGORX DRY CAPACITY | #36 | #35 | Up 1 place |
| LUCKY WORLD INC | Not ranked | #36 | New |
| BARTELS TRUCK LINE INC | #34 | #37 | Down 3 places |
| Bertch Cabinet LLC | #35 | #38 | Down 3 places |
| RAPID RESPONSE, INC. | #38 | #39 | Down 1 place |
| HUTCHINSON TRUCKING LLC | #37 | #40 | Down 3 places |
| DOUBLE V V INC | #40 | #43 | Down 3 places |
| CTK LOGISTICS LLC | #43 | #44 | Down 1 place |
| S & R TRANSPORTATION LLC | #50 | #48 | Up 2 places |
| REISCH TRUCKING INC | #39 | #50 | Down 11 places |
| H & M TRUCKING INC | #19 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WILLIAMS PRESTIGE ENTERPRISE | #20 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #22 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| NEIER INC | #25 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #28 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| JL LOGISTICS INC | #44 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| KMH Logistics LLC | #48 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Where CDL pay is strongest in Independence, Missouri this month
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. tops the Independence, Missouri ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Herrington Transportation Inc. pays above the 85th percentile on weekly pay for the Independence, Missouri market. Lanefinder's application data flags Herrington Transportation Inc. as a responsive employer.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,800/wk
FW TRUCKING is up from #18 last month, one of the largest jumps in the Independence, Missouri ranking. FW TRUCKING ranks in the 90th percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data.
#3PREMIER TRANSPORTATION — $2,037/wk
PREMIER TRANSPORTATION sits in the 91st percentile for weekly pay among Independence, Missouri carriers. PREMIER TRANSPORTATION ranks in the 98th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 True Transport Inc. at $2,250/wk, #5 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #6 SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at $2,100/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 Independence, Missouri drivers actually run
18% of Independence, Missouri's active CDL postings are regional and 77% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (5%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Independence, Missouri postings; dedicated routes at 24%; take-truck-home at 79%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 66% and riders-allowed at 66%.
How Independence, Missouri compares to Missouri
| Independence, Missouri | Missouri top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated routes | 28% | 43% | -15 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 92% | 78% | +14 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 84% | 73% | +11 pt |
| Guaranteed pay | 10% | 4% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Independence, Missouri's biggest divergence from Missouri is on dedicated routes, 15 points below the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Missouri
Missouri freight is shaped by the St. Louis and Kansas City hubs anchoring the I-70 / I-44 / I-55 corridors. The Mississippi and Missouri rivers provide barge access for agricultural and bulk commodity transfers. St. Louis is one of the older US freight crossroads — the rail-truck interchange there is dense and complicated. Living costs sit comfortably below the national average; Missouri has a low-to-moderate graduated state income tax. Tornado season typically peaks in spring and shapes dispatch in central and southern MO.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Independence, Missouri
- CDL driver salary in Independence, Missouri
- Best trucking companies in Missouri
The methodology behind the rankings
Four weighted components. Compensation carries 30% and includes pay percentile, sign-on bonus tier, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement frequency. FMCSA safety carries 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions. Benefits carry 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator carriers. Operational performance carries 20%, measuring application responsiveness and fleet scale. Updated November 2026.