Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Merced, California (May 2026)
Through May 2026, 218 carriers in Merced, California employ W2 company drivers across the lanes Lanefinder tracks. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. SABUR LLC follows at $1,850/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 May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
The trucking companies leading Merced, California this month
The top of the list is JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC tops the Merced, California ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Pay sits above the 89th percentile in the Merced, California market. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC's top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 94th percentile.
#2SABUR LLC — $1,850/wk
SABUR LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Merced, California median.
#3REEVE TRUCKING COMPANY — $1,900/wk
REEVE TRUCKING COMPANY ranks in the 96th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data.
REEVE TRUCKING COMPANY leads Merced, California's top 10 on sign-on bonus, advertising $5,000 for new drivers.
Also in the top 10: #4 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #5 DIVINE ENTERPRISES at $1,375/wk, #6 Dillard Trucking at $2,200/wk, #7 G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC at $2,045/wk, #8 ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC at $2,000/wk, #9 Fisher Brothers Trucking at $2,250/wk, #10 BRADY TRUCKING INC at $1,750/wk.
What Merced, California drivers actually run
The route mix in Merced, California this month tilts OTR: 17% regional, 80% 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 27%; take-truck-home at 73%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 64% and riders-allowed at 63%.
How Merced, California compares to California
| Merced, California | California top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 84% | 74% | +10 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 71% | 64% | +7 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 39% | 34% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Merced, California's biggest divergence from California is on take-truck-home, 10 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 clean-truck enforcement is the most aggressive in the US, so newer equipment is effectively required for fleet work — if you're owner-op, plan the truck purchase around it. Drayage out of LA / Long Beach and warehouse-rotation work in the Inland Empire pay near the top of the national scale, but cost of living is brutal. The mountain passes (Cajon, Grapevine, Donner) 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 May 2026.