Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Iowa City, Iowa (May 2026)
344 W2 trucking carriers are hiring in Iowa City, Iowa this May 2026. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. Iowa freight is shaped by its agricultural output — corn, soybeans, and ethanol — moving on I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south, with Des Moines serving as the primary distribution crossroads.
What changed in May 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 Iowa City, Iowa 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 tops the Iowa City, Iowa ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Weekly pay here lands in the 95th percentile across Iowa City, Iowa. Top FMCSA dimension here is controlled-substances compliance, in the 88th percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. pays above the 92nd percentile on weekly pay for the Iowa City, Iowa market. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile. True Transport Inc. tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
Despite ranking below #1, True Transport Inc. outpays the leader on weekly average — $2,250/week.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Iowa City, Iowa carriers. On unsafe-driving avoidance, the carrier ranks in the 94th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #5 HMD TRUCKING INC at $1,800/wk, #6 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #7 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #8 KEN GRAHAM TRUCKING INC at $2,000/wk, #9 KOTTKE TRUCKING INC at $2,000/wk, #10 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk.
What Iowa City, Iowa drivers actually run
The route mix in Iowa City, Iowa this month tilts OTR: 17% regional, 80% OTR, 1% local, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of Iowa City, Iowa postings; dedicated routes at 23%; take-truck-home at 83%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 68% and riders-allowed at 70%.
Iowa City, Iowa vs Iowa: the numbers that diverge
| Iowa City, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riders-allowed policies | 84% | 75% | +9 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 78% | 71% | +7 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
The largest gap is on riders-allowed policies: Iowa City, Iowa sits 9 points above the Iowa baseline.
Driving CDL in Iowa
Iowa freight is shaped by the state's agricultural output — corn, soybeans, ethanol, pork — moving on the I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south corridors. Des Moines serves as the primary distribution crossroads. Cedar Rapids and Davenport (Quad Cities) add manufacturing and food-processing freight. Iowa runs a moderate graduated state income tax; living costs are among the lowest in the Midwest. Winter is severe — wind off the prairie plus drifting snow plus black ice on I-80 makes route timing genuinely consequential from December through March.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Iowa City, Iowa
- CDL driver salary in Iowa City, Iowa
- Best trucking companies in Iowa
Where this data comes from
Compensation (30%): pay percentile + sign-on bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement frequency. FMCSA safety (25%): weighted percentile across vehicle maintenance, unsafe driving, hours-of-service, driver fitness, and controlled substances. Benefits (25%): hiring-type-aware. Operational (20%): driver-application responsiveness, modulated by fleet scale. Updated May 2026.