Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Kalamazoo, Michigan (November 2026)
362 carriers in Kalamazoo, Michigan 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. Michigan is the US automotive manufacturing heartland, with Detroit and the I-94 / I-75 corridor carrying dense parts-and-assembly flows and Great Lakes ports at Detroit, Muskegon, and Sault Ste. Marie handling bulk commodities.
What changed in November 2026
McLeod Express LLC at #4, SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at #6, and MNS1 EXPRESS INC at #8 are new to the top 50 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#35 → #1) and FW TRUCKING (#16 → #2). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#1 → #22), BRADY TRUCKING INC (#14 → #24), and REISCH TRUCKING INC (#40 → #50). Elsewhere in the top 50, 5 carriers joined, 8 left, and 36 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrington Transportation Inc. | #35 | #1 | Up 34 places |
| FW TRUCKING | #16 | #2 | Up 14 places |
| True Transport Inc. | #10 | #3 | Up 7 places |
| McLeod Express LLC | Not ranked | #4 | New |
| PREMIER TRANSPORTATION | #2 | #5 | Down 3 places |
| SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC | Not ranked | #6 | New |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #3 | #7 | Down 4 places |
| MNS1 EXPRESS INC | Not ranked | #8 | New |
| Covenant Transport Inc | #4 | #9 | Down 5 places |
| Mountain States L.P. Gas | Not ranked | #10 | New |
| DICK LAVY TRUCKING | Not ranked | #11 | New |
| PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC | #6 | #12 | Down 6 places |
| ARKA EXPRESS INC | Not ranked | #13 | New |
| South East Carriers INC | #5 | #14 | Down 9 places |
| Badger Express LLC | #7 | #15 | Down 8 places |
| Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. | #8 | #16 | Down 8 places |
| JS HELWIG & SON LLC | #9 | #17 | Down 8 places |
| G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC | #11 | #18 | Down 7 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #12 | #19 | Down 7 places |
| ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC | #13 | #20 | Down 7 places |
| C & G TRANSPORTATION INC | #15 | #21 | Down 6 places |
| LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY | #1 | #22 | Down 21 places |
| MC CARRIER LLC | #17 | #23 | Down 6 places |
| BRADY TRUCKING INC | #14 | #24 | Down 10 places |
| HOLLAND ENTERPRISES INC | #23 | #25 | Down 2 places |
| KEN GRAHAM TRUCKING INC | #19 | #26 | Down 7 places |
| A & H INC | #25 | #27 | Down 2 places |
| RIVER CITY TRANSPORT INC | #20 | #28 | Down 8 places |
| KEYSTONE TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC | Not ranked | #29 | New |
| AFC Transport, Inc | #26 | #30 | Down 4 places |
| PASCAL CARRIER INC | #24 | #31 | Down 7 places |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #27 | #32 | Down 5 places |
| Z TRANSPORTATION INC | #32 | #33 | Down 1 place |
| AN ENTERPRISE INC | #28 | #34 | Down 6 places |
| Excel Trucking LLC | #29 | #35 | Down 6 places |
| EA EXPRESS LLC | #30 | #36 | Down 6 places |
| BARTELS TRUCK LINE INC | #33 | #37 | Down 4 places |
| LUCKY WORLD INC | Not ranked | #38 | New |
| CARGORX DRY CAPACITY | #37 | #39 | Down 2 places |
| GURTLER INDUSTRIES INC | #39 | #40 | Down 1 place |
| HUTCHINSON TRUCKING LLC | #38 | #41 | Down 3 places |
| TDR TRANSPORT | #41 | #42 | Down 1 place |
| JL LOGISTICS INC | #42 | #43 | Down 1 place |
| CTK LOGISTICS LLC | #43 | #44 | Down 1 place |
| Bakers Express | #44 | #46 | Down 2 places |
| EAGLE EYE TRUCK LINES LLC | #46 | #47 | Down 1 place |
| S & R TRANSPORTATION LLC | #47 | #48 | Down 1 place |
| National Express Carriers | #48 | #49 | Down 1 place |
| REISCH TRUCKING INC | #40 | #50 | Down 10 places |
| H & M TRUCKING INC | #18 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #21 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WILLIAMS PRESTIGE ENTERPRISE | #22 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Brenny Specialized Inc | #31 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| A.D. Transport Express, Inc. | #34 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Scotland Transportation LLC | #36 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| 1 MTX LLC | #49 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Parks Motor Group Inc | #50 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
The trucking companies leading Kalamazoo, Michigan 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. is number-one in Kalamazoo, Michigan this month on the composite ranking. Herrington Transportation Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 91st percentile across Kalamazoo, Michigan. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,800/wk
FW TRUCKING rose 14 positions month-over-month, from #16 to #2. FW TRUCKING's FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 90th percentile.
#3True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. is up from #10 last month, one of the largest jumps in the Kalamazoo, Michigan ranking. True Transport Inc. sits in the 96th percentile for weekly pay among Kalamazoo, Michigan carriers. True Transport Inc.'s top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 98th percentile.
True Transport Inc. doesn't top the ranking but offers higher weekly pay than #1 — $2,250/week.
Also in the top 10: #4 McLeod Express LLC at $1,525/wk, #5 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #6 SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at $2,100/wk, #7 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #8 MNS1 EXPRESS INC at $2,050/wk, #9 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #10 Mountain States L.P. Gas at $2,000/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Kalamazoo, Michigan
24% of Kalamazoo, Michigan's active CDL postings are regional and 73% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (3%).
Across Kalamazoo, Michigan CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 24% dedicated, 79% take-truck-home, 67% pet-friendly, 66% riders-allowed.
How Kalamazoo, Michigan compares to Michigan
| Kalamazoo, Michigan | Michigan top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 96% | 80% | +16 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 32% | 42% | -10 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 74% | 66% | +8 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 84% | 76% | +8 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Among the figures above, take-truck-home is where Kalamazoo, Michigan differs most from Michigan — 16 points above statewide.
Driving CDL in Michigan
Michigan is the US automotive heartland — a huge share of CDL work in the state is tied to auto-parts inbound or finished-vehicle outbound. Detroit / Dearborn / Flint lanes have a distinctive operational rhythm that follows plant production schedules, including summer shutdown weeks when freight volume often drops. Winter is the dominant operational variable: lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan can shut down west-side runs, and the freeze-thaw cycle on I-94, I-75, and I-96 means road surfaces are rough year-round. State income tax is flat and moderate. The Upper Peninsula is genuinely remote — long stretches with no fuel stops or services — and most newer drivers shouldn't take UP loads until they've learned the territory.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Kalamazoo, Michigan
- CDL driver salary in Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Best trucking companies in Michigan
How we compile these rankings
Pay carriers against each other within the same market (30%). Layer a weighted FMCSA SAFER safety percentile on top (25%). Score the benefits package against what actually matters for the hiring type — W2 health/financial benefits or owner-op operational perks (25%). Finish with operational performance: responsiveness to driver applications plus fleet scale (20%). All percentiles are recomputed monthly. Updated November 2026.