Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in New Haven, Connecticut (November 2026)
245 carriers in New Haven, Connecticut are actively recruiting W2 company drivers as of November 2026. Each is scored on a composite of compensation, FMCSA safety, benefits, and operational performance. HandledNow LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,900 and an average $5,000 sign-on bonus. Herrington Transportation Inc. follows at $2,000/week. New Haven sits on I-95 and I-91 on Long Island Sound, with the Port of New Haven handling heating oil and petroleum, and a mix of manufacturing and retail distribution freight.
What changed in November 2026
Mountain States L.P. Gas at #5 and DICK LAVY TRUCKING at #7 are new to the top 50 in New Haven, Connecticut. Biggest climb: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#26 → #2). Biggest fall: REISCH TRUCKING INC (#36 → #47). Elsewhere in the top 50, 3 carriers joined, 5 left, and 29 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
New Haven, Connecticut's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is HandledNow LLC at $1,900/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1HandledNow LLC — $1,900/wk
HandledNow LLC is number-one in New Haven, Connecticut this month on the composite ranking. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 99th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. Lanefinder's application data flags HandledNow LLC as a responsive employer.
For sign-on cash, HandledNow LLC posts the largest bonus in New Haven, Connecticut's top 10 at $5,000.
#2Herrington Transportation Inc. — $2,000/wk
Herrington Transportation Inc. rose 24 positions month-over-month, from #26 to #2. Herrington Transportation Inc. sits in the 90th percentile for weekly pay among New Haven, Connecticut carriers. Lanefinder's application data flags Herrington Transportation Inc. as a responsive employer.
#3True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 96th percentile across New Haven, Connecticut. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 98th percentile.
Despite ranking below #1, True Transport Inc. outpays the leader on weekly average — $2,250/week.
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 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 DICK LAVY TRUCKING at $1,950/wk, #8 ROAD SCHOLAR TRANSPORTATION LLC at $2,000/wk, #9 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #10 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across New Haven, Connecticut
18% of New Haven, Connecticut's active CDL postings are regional and 72% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (10%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of New Haven, Connecticut postings; dedicated routes at 25%; take-truck-home at 71%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 59% and riders-allowed at 60%.
New Haven, Connecticut vs Connecticut: the numbers that diverge
The largest gap is on take-truck-home: New Haven, Connecticut sits 6 points above the Connecticut baseline.
Driving CDL in New Haven
New Haven sits on I-95 and I-91 on Long Island Sound. The Port of New Haven handles heating oil and petroleum, and a mix of manufacturing adds steady freight. I-95 congestion through the Connecticut shore is consistently bad. Cost of living runs somewhat above the national average.
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 New Haven, Connecticut
- CDL driver salary in New Haven, Connecticut
- Best trucking companies in Connecticut
Where this data comes from
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 November 2026.