Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Merced, California (November 2026)
Through November 2026, 218 carriers in Merced, California employ W2 company drivers across the lanes Lanefinder tracks. Leggett & Platt Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,166 and an average $1,999 sign-on bonus. Herrington Transportation Inc. follows at $2,000/week. California freight is dominated by the Port of LA / Long Beach complex, Central Valley agriculture, and the Inland Empire warehouse cluster along I-10 and I-15.
What changed in November 2026
HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC at #3 and Mountain States L.P. Gas at #5 are new to the top 50 in Merced, California. Biggest climb: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#19 → #2). Biggest fall: REISCH TRUCKING INC (#27 → #42). Elsewhere in the top 50, 2 carriers joined, 4 left, and 35 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrington Transportation Inc. | #19 | #2 | Up 17 places |
| HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC | Not ranked | #3 | New |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #2 | #4 | Down 2 places |
| Mountain States L.P. Gas | Not ranked | #5 | New |
| REEVE TRUCKING COMPANY | #3 | #6 | Down 3 places |
| PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC | #4 | #7 | Down 3 places |
| Dillard Trucking | #7 | #8 | Down 1 place |
| G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC | #5 | #9 | Down 4 places |
| ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC | #6 | #10 | Down 4 places |
| MC CARRIER LLC | #10 | #11 | Down 1 place |
| Fisher Brothers Trucking | #8 | #12 | Down 4 places |
| BRADY TRUCKING INC | #9 | #13 | Down 4 places |
| HOLLAND ENTERPRISES INC | #15 | #14 | Up 1 place |
| KAISER TRANSPORT INC | #16 | #15 | Up 1 place |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #13 | #16 | Down 3 places |
| TRIUS TRUCKING INC | #12 | #17 | Down 5 places |
| NEIER INC | #17 | #18 | Down 1 place |
| RIVER CITY TRANSPORT INC | #14 | #19 | Down 5 places |
| Excel Trucking LLC | #18 | #20 | Down 2 places |
| Creedence Energy Services LLC | #20 | #21 | Down 1 place |
| HAWKS TRANSPORT LLC | Not ranked | #22 | New |
| Brenny Specialized Inc | #21 | #23 | Down 2 places |
| CARGORX DRY CAPACITY | #22 | #24 | Down 2 places |
| Prime Inc. | #23 | #25 | Down 2 places |
| HUTCHINSON TRUCKING LLC | #25 | #26 | Down 1 place |
| TRANS XPRESS LINE INC | #26 | #27 | Down 1 place |
| NATIONWIDE TRANS INC | #29 | #28 | Up 1 place |
| CTK LOGISTICS LLC | #28 | #29 | Down 1 place |
| NTA, LTD. | #32 | #30 | Up 2 places |
| Cross Integrated Transport, LLC | #30 | #31 | Down 1 place |
| Southland Transportation | #31 | #32 | Down 1 place |
| STONE TRANSPORT | #35 | #33 | Up 2 places |
| Bakers Express | #37 | #35 | Up 2 places |
| K & R TRANSPORT LLC | #41 | #37 | Up 4 places |
| BIG WINGS LLC | Not ranked | #39 | New |
| S & R TRANSPORTATION LLC | #39 | #40 | Down 1 place |
| CAPITOL TRUCK LINES INC | #43 | #41 | Up 2 places |
| REISCH TRUCKING INC | #27 | #42 | Down 15 places |
| LIBERTY HAULERS INC | #42 | #43 | Down 1 place |
| 1 MTX LLC | #45 | #44 | Up 1 place |
| Parks Motor Group Inc | #44 | #45 | Down 1 place |
| WILLIAMS PRESTIGE ENTERPRISE | #11 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #24 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| CNA FREIGHT LLC | #33 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| SMARTWAY EXPRESS INC | #40 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
The trucking companies leading Merced, California this month
The top of the list is Leggett & Platt Inc. at $2,166/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1Leggett & Platt Inc. — $2,166/wk
Leggett & Platt Inc. tops the Merced, California ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Leggett & Platt Inc. pays above the 86th percentile on weekly pay for the Merced, California market. Leggett & Platt Inc.'s top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 89th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Merced, California.
#2Herrington Transportation Inc. — $2,000/wk
Herrington Transportation Inc. is up from #19 last month, one of the largest jumps in the Merced, California ranking. Herrington Transportation Inc. pays above the 84th percentile on weekly pay for the Merced, California market. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Merced, California.
#3HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC — $1,700/wk
HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC debuts in the Merced, California top 50 this month — it wasn't tracked here last month. HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 93rd percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Merced, California.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 Mountain States L.P. Gas at $2,000/wk, #6 REEVE TRUCKING COMPANY at $1,900/wk, #7 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #8 Dillard Trucking at $2,200/wk, #9 G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC at $2,045/wk, #10 ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC at $2,000/wk.
What Merced, California drivers actually run
The route mix in Merced, California this month tilts OTR: 18% regional, 79% OTR, 3% local, 0% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Merced, California postings; dedicated routes at 29%; take-truck-home at 72%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 65% and riders-allowed at 62%.
How Merced, California compares to California
| Merced, California | California top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 80% | 72% | +8 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 72% | 66% | +6 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 68% | 62% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Merced, California's biggest divergence from California is on take-truck-home, 8 points above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in California
California is one of the toughest states to drive CDL in the country, and one of the most lucrative for the right setup. CARB emissions rules are the strictest in the US, so engine year and compliance matter for fleet work — if you're owner-op, check current CARB rules before buying a truck. Drayage out of LA / Long Beach and warehouse-rotation work in the Inland Empire pay above the national average, but cost of living is brutal. The mountain passes (Grapevine, Donner, plus high winds on Cajon) add real winter complexity that most other Southwest lanes don't. Drivers with serious mountain experience earn it back.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Merced, California
- CDL driver salary in Merced, California
- Best trucking companies in California
The methodology behind the rankings
Compensation (30%): pay percentile + sign-on bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement frequency. FMCSA safety (25%): weighted percentile across vehicle maintenance, unsafe driving, hours-of-service, driver fitness, and controlled substances. Benefits (25%): hiring-type-aware. Operational (20%): driver-application responsiveness, modulated by fleet scale. Updated November 2026.