Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in New Jersey (May 2026)
Lanefinder is tracking 445 W2 trucking carriers in New Jersey (May 2026). KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. New Jersey is the primary Northeast freight gateway through Port Newark / Elizabeth — the busiest container port on the East Coast — with the NJ Turnpike (I-95) and dense intermodal facilities serving the New York metro market.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
New Jersey'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 is number-one in New Jersey this month on the composite ranking. Weekly pay here lands in the 96th percentile across New Jersey. KEEP TRUCKING LLC ranks in the 88th percentile for controlled-substances compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. pays above the 93rd percentile on weekly pay for the New Jersey market. Strongest FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance — 99th percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
Despite ranking below #1, True Transport Inc. outpays the leader on weekly average — $2,250/week.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC sits in the 96th percentile for weekly pay among New Jersey carriers. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC's FMCSA score is strongest on 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 Maumee Express, Inc. at $1,925/wk, #8 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk, #9 ECM ENERGY SERVICES INC at $1,950/wk, #10 JS HELWIG & SON LLC at $1,850/wk.
What New Jersey drivers actually run
The route mix in New Jersey this month tilts OTR: 25% regional, 51% OTR, 20% local, 5% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of New Jersey postings; dedicated routes at 31%; take-truck-home at 60%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 48% and riders-allowed at 49%.
Driving CDL in New Jersey
New Jersey is the primary Northeast freight gateway through Port Newark-Elizabeth — the busiest container port on the East Coast — with the NJ Turnpike (I-95) and dense intermodal facilities feeding the New York metro market. Drayage out of the port is the largest single CDL segment. Cost of living is high; New Jersey state income tax is high and graduated (peaks above 10%). Bridge tolls and truck-route restrictions on the Garden State Parkway (no trucks allowed) and certain Hudson crossings add planning overhead. NJ Turnpike traffic is consistently in the worst US tier.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in New Jersey
- CDL driver salary in New Jersey
- Best trucking companies in the United States
How we compile these 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 May 2026.