Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Kansas City, Missouri (September 2026)
There are 358 W2 trucking carriers currently posting jobs in Kansas City, Missouri. The ranking below reflects active jobs as of September 2026, not historical pay surveys. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,700 and an average $5,000 sign-on bonus. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,750/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 September 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 | 84% | 69% | +15 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 92% | 80% | +12 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 76% | 65% | +11 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 26% | 33% | -7 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
Among the figures above, riders-allowed policies is where Kansas City, Missouri differs most from Missouri — 15 points above statewide.
Kansas City, Missouri's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $1,700/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC — $1,700/wk
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads the Kansas City, Missouri market on combined pay and ranking score this month. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 93rd percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC as a responsive employer.
The top sign-on bonus in Kansas City, Missouri's top 10 is WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC's — $5,000.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,750/wk
FW TRUCKING's FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 92nd percentile. FW TRUCKING responds to driver applications more reliably than the Kansas City, Missouri median.
#3PREMIER TRANSPORTATION — $2,037/wk
PREMIER TRANSPORTATION pays above the 87th percentile on weekly pay for the Kansas City, Missouri market. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 98th percentile per 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 TDR TRANSPORT at $2,200/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.
What Kansas City, Missouri drivers actually run
The route mix in Kansas City, Missouri this month tilts OTR: 18% regional, 78% OTR, 3% local, 2% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Kansas City, Missouri CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 24% dedicated, 79% take-truck-home, 66% pet-friendly, 67% 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 September 2026.