Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Newark, New Jersey (November 2026)
There are 307 W2 trucking carriers currently posting jobs in Newark, New Jersey. The ranking below reflects active jobs as of November 2026, not historical pay surveys. 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. Newark anchors the Port of New York and New Jersey, the busiest east-coast container complex, with dense rail and truck intermodal connections via I-95 / NJ Turnpike and a significant US air-cargo airport at Newark Liberty.
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 Newark, New Jersey. Biggest climb: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#29 → #2). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#2 → #19) and REISCH TRUCKING INC (#36 → #47). Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 6 left, and 36 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
Where CDL pay is strongest in Newark, New Jersey this month
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 leads the Newark, New Jersey market on combined pay and ranking score this month. HandledNow LLC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 99th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Newark, New Jersey.
#2Herrington Transportation Inc. — $2,000/wk
Herrington Transportation Inc. climbed from #29 to #2 this month — one of the biggest moves in Newark, New Jersey. Herrington Transportation Inc. sits in the 91st percentile for weekly pay among Newark, New Jersey carriers. Lanefinder's application data flags Herrington Transportation Inc. as a responsive employer.
#3True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. climbed from #10 to #3 this month — one of the biggest moves in Newark, New Jersey. True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 96th percentile across Newark, New Jersey. Strongest FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance — 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 Maumee Express, Inc. at $1,925/wk, #9 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #10 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk.
What Newark, New Jersey drivers actually run
The route mix in Newark, New Jersey this month tilts OTR: 19% regional, 65% OTR, 12% local, 4% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of Newark, New Jersey postings; dedicated routes at 30%; take-truck-home at 68%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 57% and riders-allowed at 57%.
Where Newark, New Jersey differs from the New Jersey baseline
| Newark, New Jersey | New Jersey top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated routes | 24% | 38% | -14 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 86% | 80% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
The largest gap is on dedicated routes: Newark, New Jersey sits 14 points below the New Jersey baseline.
Driving CDL in Newark
Newark anchors the largest East Coast container port (Port Newark-Elizabeth). CDL work here is dominated by drayage, intermodal connections, and dense metro distribution. NJ Turnpike (I-95) is the spine. TWIC requirements apply for terminal access. Cost of living is high; pay reflects port-area competition.
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 Newark, New Jersey
- CDL driver salary in Newark, New Jersey
- Best trucking companies in New Jersey
Where this data comes from
Composite-score formula: compensation × 0.30, FMCSA safety × 0.25, benefits × 0.25, operational performance × 0.20. Compensation is anchored on pay percentile and lifted by sign-on bonus tier and guaranteed-pay availability. Operational performance is built mostly from driver-application response data in Lanefinder's platform, with fleet-scale percentile contributing a smaller portion. Updated November 2026.