Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Meriden, Connecticut (May 2026)
243 carriers are hiring W2 company drivers in Meriden, Connecticut right now, per Lanefinder's May 2026 snapshot. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. Connecticut freight moves on I-95 and I-91 / I-84 connecting to the Northeast corridor, with Port of New Haven handling petroleum and heating oil (with breakbulk as a secondary segment) and a dense concentration of aerospace and defense manufacturing.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Meriden, Connecticut's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is KEEP TRUCKING LLC at $2,200/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1KEEP TRUCKING LLC — $2,200/wk
KEEP TRUCKING LLC tops the Meriden, Connecticut ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. KEEP TRUCKING LLC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Meriden, Connecticut carriers. On controlled-substances compliance, the carrier ranks in the 88th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. KEEP TRUCKING LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Meriden, Connecticut median.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. pays above the 92nd percentile on weekly pay for the Meriden, Connecticut market. True Transport Inc.'s FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 99th percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags True Transport Inc. as a responsive employer.
True Transport Inc. actually pays more weekly than the top-ranked carrier — $2,250/week.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Meriden, Connecticut carriers. Strongest FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance — 94th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #5 HMD TRUCKING INC at $1,800/wk, #6 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #7 JS HELWIG & SON LLC at $1,850/wk, #8 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk, #9 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk, #10 Safeway Trucking Corporation at $2,250/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Meriden, Connecticut
Of active CDL postings in Meriden, Connecticut this month, 16% are regional and 75% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 9%.
Across Meriden, Connecticut CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 24% dedicated, 74% take-truck-home, 61% pet-friendly, 62% riders-allowed.
How Meriden, Connecticut compares to Connecticut
| Meriden, Connecticut | Connecticut top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 90% | 84% | +6 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 32% | 27% | +5 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 78% | 73% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Meriden, Connecticut's biggest divergence from Connecticut is on take-truck-home, 6 points above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Connecticut
Connecticut CDL work is mostly last-mile and short-haul on the dense I-95 / I-91 / I-84 metro grid feeding the Northeast corridor. The Port of New Haven handles breakbulk; aerospace and defense manufacturing (Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, Sikorsky in Stratford, plus RTX-related supplier networks) generate high-value freight. Cost of living is among the highest in the country and state income tax is high. Many drivers based here run out-of-state lanes to keep the math working. Truck-route restrictions on parkways and dense urban congestion make CT one of the higher-overhead states to operate in.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Meriden, Connecticut
- CDL driver salary in Meriden, Connecticut
- Best trucking companies in Connecticut
How we compile these 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 May 2026.