Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Iowa City, Iowa (November 2026)
343 W2 trucking carriers are hiring in Iowa City, Iowa this November 2026. Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,800/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 November 2026
McLeod Express LLC at #6, MNS1 EXPRESS INC at #7, and Mountain States L.P. Gas at #9 are new to the top 50 in Iowa City, Iowa. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#30 → #1) and FW TRUCKING (#16 → #2). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#1 → #22) and REISCH TRUCKING INC (#39 → #50). Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 7 left, and 37 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrington Transportation Inc. | #30 | #1 | Up 29 places |
| FW TRUCKING | #16 | #2 | Up 14 places |
| True Transport Inc. | #10 | #3 | Up 7 places |
| PREMIER TRANSPORTATION | #2 | #4 | Down 2 places |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #3 | #5 | Down 2 places |
| McLeod Express 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 |
| Great Plains Trucking Inc. | #5 | #10 | Down 5 places |
| PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC | #6 | #11 | Down 5 places |
| ARKA EXPRESS INC | Not ranked | #12 | New |
| Badger Express LLC | #8 | #13 | Down 5 places |
| SECOR LOGISTICS LLC | #7 | #14 | Down 7 places |
| Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. | #9 | #15 | Down 6 places |
| G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC | #12 | #16 | Down 4 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #11 | #17 | Down 6 places |
| ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC | #13 | #18 | Down 5 places |
| MC CARRIER LLC | #17 | #19 | Down 2 places |
| Wynne Transport Service | Not ranked | #20 | New |
| BRADY TRUCKING INC | #14 | #21 | Down 7 places |
| LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY | #1 | #22 | Down 21 places |
| KEN GRAHAM TRUCKING INC | #18 | #23 | Down 5 places |
| KAISER TRANSPORT INC | #22 | #24 | Down 2 places |
| A & H INC | #27 | #25 | Up 2 places |
| HOLLAND ENTERPRISES INC | #23 | #26 | Down 3 places |
| NEIER INC | #20 | #27 | Down 7 places |
| PASCAL CARRIER INC | #25 | #28 | Down 3 places |
| RIVER CITY TRANSPORT INC | #24 | #29 | Down 5 places |
| HAWKS TRANSPORT LLC | Not ranked | #30 | New |
| AFC Transport, Inc | #33 | #32 | Up 1 place |
| Excel Trucking LLC | #28 | #33 | Down 5 places |
| AN ENTERPRISE INC | #29 | #34 | Down 5 places |
| EA EXPRESS LLC | #32 | #35 | Down 3 places |
| LUCKY WORLD INC | Not ranked | #36 | New |
| CARGORX DRY CAPACITY | #35 | #37 | Down 2 places |
| Bertch Cabinet LLC | #34 | #38 | Down 4 places |
| CARGO PROS LLC | #37 | #39 | Down 2 places |
| RAPID RESPONSE, INC. | #38 | #40 | Down 2 places |
| HUTCHINSON TRUCKING LLC | #36 | #41 | Down 5 places |
| CJC CARRIER LLC | #40 | #42 | Down 2 places |
| TDR TRANSPORT | #41 | #43 | Down 2 places |
| Bakers Express | #46 | #45 | Up 1 place |
| SEMO EXPRESS LLC | #47 | #46 | Up 1 place |
| EAGLE EYE TRUCK LINES LLC | #48 | #47 | Up 1 place |
| National Express Carriers | #49 | #48 | Up 1 place |
| S & R TRANSPORTATION LLC | #50 | #49 | Up 1 place |
| REISCH TRUCKING INC | #39 | #50 | Down 11 places |
| H & M TRUCKING INC | #15 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WILLIAMS PRESTIGE ENTERPRISE | #19 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #21 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #26 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| GT WORLDWIDE TRANSPORT INC | #42 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Caravan Inc | #43 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| JL LOGISTICS INC | #45 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Where CDL pay is strongest in Iowa City, Iowa 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. leads the Iowa City, Iowa market on combined pay and ranking score this month. Herrington Transportation Inc. sits in the 90th percentile for weekly pay among Iowa City, Iowa carriers. Lanefinder's application data flags Herrington Transportation Inc. as a responsive employer.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,800/wk
FW TRUCKING climbed from #16 to #2 this month — one of the biggest moves in Iowa City, Iowa. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 90th percentile.
#3True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. rose 7 positions month-over-month, from #10 to #3. The carrier ranks in the 96th percentile for weekly pay in Iowa City, Iowa. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 98th percentile.
Despite ranking below #1, True Transport Inc. outpays the leader on weekly average — $2,250/week.
Also in the top 10: #4 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #5 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #6 McLeod Express LLC at $1,483/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 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk.
What Iowa City, Iowa drivers actually run
The route mix in Iowa City, Iowa this month tilts OTR: 19% regional, 78% OTR, 2% local, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Iowa City, Iowa postings; dedicated routes at 24%; take-truck-home at 82%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 67% and riders-allowed at 69%.
Iowa City, Iowa vs Iowa: the numbers that diverge
| Iowa City, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 94% | 84% | +10 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 72% | 63% | +9 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 82% | 73% | +9 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 30% | 37% | -7 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
The largest gap is on take-truck-home: Iowa City, Iowa sits 10 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 flat 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 November 2026.