Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Newark, New Jersey (May 2026)
There are 309 W2 trucking carriers currently posting jobs in Newark, New Jersey. The ranking below reflects active jobs as of May 2026, not historical pay surveys. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/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 May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Where CDL pay is strongest in Newark, New Jersey this month
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 leads the Newark, New Jersey market on combined pay and ranking score this month. Weekly pay here lands in the 95th percentile across Newark, New Jersey. Top FMCSA dimension here is controlled-substances compliance, in the 88th percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 97th percentile across Newark, New Jersey. Strongest FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance — 99th percentile. True Transport Inc. tracks as a responsive employer on application-response 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 95th percentile for weekly pay among Newark, New Jersey carriers. On unsafe-driving avoidance, the carrier ranks in the 94th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data.
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 ECM ENERGY SERVICES INC at $1,950/wk, #9 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk, #10 DIVINE ENTERPRISES at $1,375/wk.
What Newark, New Jersey drivers actually run
The route mix in Newark, New Jersey this month tilts OTR: 18% regional, 66% OTR, 13% local, 3% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of Newark, New Jersey postings; dedicated routes at 29%; take-truck-home at 69%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 58% and riders-allowed at 57%.
Where Newark, New Jersey differs from the New Jersey baseline
The largest gap is on take-truck-home: Newark, New Jersey sits 9 points above the New Jersey baseline.
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 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 May 2026.