Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Manhattan, Kansas (September 2026)
Manhattan, Kansas has 302 active W2 trucking carriers as of September 2026. The carriers ranked below are scored on real driver pay, FMCSA safety, benefits, and how they treat applicants. FW TRUCKING leads with an average weekly pay of $1,750. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC follows at $1,700/week. Kansas freight moves on the I-70 east-west transcontinental corridor and I-35 north-south, with agricultural commodities — wheat, beef, and grain — dominating loads and the Kansas City metro serving as a regional hub.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
The trucking companies leading Manhattan, Kansas this month
The top of the list is FW TRUCKING at $1,750/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1FW TRUCKING — $1,750/wk
FW TRUCKING tops the Manhattan, Kansas ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. FW TRUCKING ranks in the 92nd percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data. FW TRUCKING tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC — $1,700/wk
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 93rd percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC offers the highest sign-on bonus among Manhattan, Kansas's top 10 — $5,000.
#3PREMIER TRANSPORTATION — $2,125/wk
PREMIER TRANSPORTATION pays above the 88th percentile on weekly pay for the Manhattan, Kansas market. Top FMCSA dimension here is driver fitness, in the 98th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 TDR TRANSPORT at $2,200/wk, #6 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 SCHMUHL BROTHERS INC at $2,437/wk, #8 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #9 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #10 True Transport Inc. at $2,250/wk.
What Manhattan, Kansas drivers actually run
13% of Manhattan, Kansas's active CDL postings are regional and 87% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (0%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Manhattan, Kansas postings; dedicated routes at 24%; take-truck-home at 85%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 68% and riders-allowed at 70%.
How Manhattan, Kansas compares to Kansas
| Manhattan, Kansas | Kansas top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pet-friendly fleets | 78% | 72% | +6 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 86% | 80% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
Among the figures above, pet-friendly fleets is where Manhattan, Kansas differs most from Kansas — 6 points above statewide.
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 Manhattan, Kansas
- CDL driver salary in Manhattan, Kansas
- Best trucking companies in Kansas
The methodology behind the rankings
Four weighted components. Compensation carries 30% and includes pay percentile, sign-on bonus tier, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement frequency. FMCSA safety carries 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions. Benefits carry 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator carriers. Operational performance carries 20%, measuring application responsiveness and fleet scale. Updated September 2026.