Updated July 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Joliet, Illinois (July 2026)
For W2 company drivers in Joliet, Illinois, Lanefinder tracks 461 carriers as of July 2026. Forest Brook Trucking LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,600. 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 July 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Joliet, Illinois's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is Forest Brook Trucking LLC at $1,600/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1Forest Brook Trucking LLC — $1,600/wk
Forest Brook Trucking LLC tops the Joliet, Illinois ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Strongest FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance — 97th percentile. Forest Brook Trucking LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 96th percentile across Joliet, Illinois. Strongest FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance — 99th percentile.
Despite ranking below #1, True Transport Inc. outpays the leader on weekly average — $2,250/week.
#3PREMIER TRANSPORTATION — $1,950/wk
PREMIER TRANSPORTATION pays above the 83rd percentile on weekly pay for the Joliet, Illinois market. PREMIER TRANSPORTATION ranks in the 97th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #6 OMAHA TRACK INC at $2,000/wk, #7 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #8 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #9 McLeod Express LLC at $1,550/wk, #10 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Joliet, Illinois
The route mix in Joliet, Illinois this month tilts OTR: 24% regional, 63% OTR, 10% local, 3% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 3% of Joliet, Illinois postings; dedicated routes at 27%; take-truck-home at 73%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 59% and riders-allowed at 59%.
How Joliet, Illinois compares to Illinois
| Joliet, Illinois | Illinois top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 35% | 40% | -5 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 88% | 83% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, July 2026
Among the figures above, sign-on bonus availability is where Joliet, Illinois differs most from Illinois — 5 points below statewide.
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 Joliet, Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Joliet, Illinois
- Best trucking companies in Illinois
The methodology behind the rankings
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 July 2026.