Updated July 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Kansas City, Missouri (July 2026)
There are 354 W2 trucking carriers currently posting jobs in Kansas City, Missouri. The ranking below reflects active jobs as of July 2026, not historical pay surveys. LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY leads with an average weekly pay of $1,680. Forest Brook Trucking LLC follows at $1,600/week. Kansas City is a major Midwest freight crossroads at I-70 / I-35 / I-29 / I-49, with large intermodal terminals, grain elevator networks, and automotive assembly at Ford Claycomo (MO) and GM Fairfax (KS side of the metro) feeding regional supply chains.
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, Missouri vs Missouri: the numbers that diverge
| Kansas City, Missouri | Missouri top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riders-allowed policies | 80% | 68% | +12 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 92% | 81% | +11 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 78% | 68% | +10 pt |
| Guaranteed pay | 10% | 4% | +6 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 26% | 32% | -6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, July 2026
Among the figures above, riders-allowed policies is where Kansas City, Missouri differs most from Missouri — 12 points above statewide.
Kansas City, Missouri'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 tops the Kansas City, Missouri ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. 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 ranks in the 97th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Kansas City, Missouri.
#3True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. sits in the 96th percentile for weekly pay among Kansas City, Missouri carriers. True Transport Inc.'s FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 99th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,925/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 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #9 SCHMUHL BROTHERS INC at $2,437/wk, #10 KANSAS CITY INTERMODAL LLC at $2,500/wk.
What Kansas City, Missouri drivers actually run
The route mix in Kansas City, Missouri this month tilts OTR: 17% regional, 78% OTR, 3% local, 2% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Kansas City, Missouri CDL postings: 3% with guaranteed pay, 23% dedicated, 78% take-truck-home, 66% pet-friendly, 66% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in Missouri
Missouri freight is shaped by the St. Louis and Kansas City hubs anchoring the I-70 / I-44 / I-55 corridors. The Mississippi and Missouri rivers provide barge access for agricultural and bulk commodity transfers. St. Louis is one of the older US freight crossroads — the rail-truck interchange there is dense and complicated. Living costs sit comfortably below the national average; Missouri has a low-to-moderate graduated state income tax. Tornado season (March-June) shapes spring dispatch in central and southern MO.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Kansas City, Missouri
- CDL driver salary in Kansas City, Missouri
- Best trucking companies in Missouri
The methodology behind the rankings
The composite score is 30% compensation, 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits, and 20% operational performance. Pay percentiles are computed against carriers currently hiring in each market; FMCSA percentiles come from SAFER and weight unsafe-driving and hours-of-service violations 2× heavier than the other three dimensions. Updated July 2026.