Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in New Jersey (November 2026)
Lanefinder is tracking 441 W2 trucking carriers in New Jersey (November 2026). HandledNow LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,875 and an average $3,750 sign-on bonus. Herrington Transportation Inc. follows at $2,000/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 November 2026
SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at #7, Mountain States L.P. Gas at #9, and DICK LAVY TRUCKING at #10 are new to the top 50 in New Jersey. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#37 → #2) and True Transport Inc. (#15 → #4). Biggest fall: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#2 → #21). KEYSTONE TRANSPORT SERVICES LLC (was #9) left the top 50. Elsewhere in the top 50, 5 carriers joined, 6 left, 27 changed rank, and 1 changed pay or benefits.
All changes since October 2026
New Jersey's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is HandledNow LLC at $1,875/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1HandledNow LLC — $1,875/wk
HandledNow LLC tops the New Jersey ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. HandledNow LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 99th percentile. HandledNow LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the New Jersey median.
#2Herrington Transportation Inc. — $2,000/wk
Herrington Transportation Inc. is up from #37 last month, one of the largest jumps in the New Jersey ranking. Pay sits above the 87th percentile in the New Jersey market. Lanefinder's application data flags Herrington Transportation Inc. as a responsive employer.
#3Pipco Transportation — $1,900/wk
Pipco Transportation pays above the 81st percentile on weekly pay for the New Jersey market. Pipco Transportation ranks in the 91st percentile for vehicle maintenance on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
Also in the top 10: #4 True Transport Inc. at $2,250/wk, #5 HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC at $1,975/wk, #6 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #7 SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at $2,100/wk, #8 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #9 Mountain States L.P. Gas at $2,000/wk, #10 DICK LAVY TRUCKING at $1,950/wk.
What New Jersey drivers actually run
The route mix in New Jersey this month tilts OTR: 26% regional, 49% 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 34%; take-truck-home at 59%. 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 a major CDL segment. Cost of living is high; New Jersey state income tax is high and graduated (peaks above 10%). Bridge and tunnel tolls, truck-route restrictions on the Garden State Parkway (trucks over 10,000 lb are barred north of Exit 105), and limits on certain Hudson crossings add planning overhead. Traffic around Fort Lee and the George Washington Bridge (I-95) is among the worst in the country.
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 November 2026.