Updated July 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Kansas City, Kansas (July 2026)
342 W2 trucking carriers are hiring in Kansas City, Kansas this July 2026. LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY leads with an average weekly pay of $1,680. Forest Brook Trucking LLC follows at $1,600/week. The Kansas side of the Kansas City metro sits at the I-35 / I-70 junction, with intermodal terminals, agricultural commodity flows, and a growing distribution corridor stretching along I-435 and K-10.
What changed in July 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Kansas City, Kansas's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY at $1,680/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY — $1,680/wk
LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY leads the Kansas City, Kansas market on combined pay and ranking score this month. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 91st percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. Lanefinder's application data flags LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY as a responsive employer.
#2Forest Brook Trucking LLC — $1,600/wk
Forest Brook Trucking LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 97th percentile. Forest Brook Trucking LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Kansas City, Kansas median.
#3True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 96th percentile across Kansas City, Kansas. On unsafe-driving avoidance, the carrier ranks in the 99th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,900/wk, #5 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #6 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #8 SCHMUHL BROTHERS INC at $2,437/wk, #9 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #10 KANSAS CITY INTERMODAL LLC at $2,500/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Kansas City, Kansas
16% of Kansas City, Kansas's active CDL postings are regional and 80% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (4%).
Across Kansas City, Kansas CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 22% dedicated, 79% take-truck-home, 66% pet-friendly, 66% riders-allowed.
How Kansas City, Kansas compares to Kansas
| Kansas City, Kansas | Kansas top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 38% | 32% | +6 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 80% | 74% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, July 2026
The largest gap is on sign-on bonus availability: Kansas City, Kansas sits 6 points above the Kansas baseline.
Driving CDL in Kansas
Kansas freight moves on the I-70 east-west transcontinental corridor and I-35 north-south, with the Kansas City metro (split with MO) as the regional hub. Wheat, beef, and grain dominate outbound loads, especially in summer harvest season. Wichita aerospace and manufacturing adds steady industrial freight. Kansas has a moderate graduated state income tax; cost of living runs near the bottom of the US distribution. Western Kansas is genuinely remote — long stretches between fuel stops on I-70 west of Salina — and tornado season (April-June) shapes route planning each spring.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Kansas City, Kansas
- CDL driver salary in Kansas City, Kansas
- Best trucking companies in Kansas
The methodology behind the rankings
Compensation, FMCSA safety, benefits, and operational performance — weighted 30, 25, 25, and 20 percent respectively. Compensation extends beyond headline pay to include sign-on bonus tier and settlement cadence. Benefits scoring differs by hiring type because the perks that matter to a W2 driver and a contractor are not the same. Updated July 2026.