Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Normal, Illinois (November 2026)
As of November 2026, 403 carriers in Normal, Illinois are posting active jobs for W2 company drivers. Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. McLeod Express LLC follows at $1,550/week. Illinois anchors the US rail and truck network through Chicago, the largest intermodal hub in North America, with I-80 / I-90 / I-55 feeding a dense concentration of manufacturing, warehousing, and cold-chain freight.
What changed in November 2026
SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at #8 and MNS1 EXPRESS INC at #10 are new to the top 50 in Normal, Illinois. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#37 → #1), FW TRUCKING (#22 → #3), and McLeod Express LLC (#13 → #2). Biggest fall: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#1 → #27). Elsewhere in the top 50, 5 carriers joined, 7 left, and 37 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
The trucking companies leading Normal, Illinois this month
The top of the list is Herrington Transportation Inc. at $2,000/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1Herrington Transportation Inc. — $2,000/wk
Herrington Transportation Inc. leads the Normal, Illinois market on combined pay and ranking score this month. Herrington Transportation Inc. pays above the 85th percentile on weekly pay for the Normal, Illinois market. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Normal, Illinois.
#2McLeod Express LLC — $1,550/wk
McLeod Express LLC climbed from #13 to #2 this month — one of the biggest moves in Normal, Illinois. Strongest FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance — 94th percentile. The comp package includes a guaranteed-pay structure — useful when freight slows.
McLeod Express LLC is the lone Normal, Illinois top-10 carrier offering OTR work with a guaranteed weekly wage.
#3FW TRUCKING — $1,800/wk
FW TRUCKING is up from #22 last month, one of the largest jumps in the Normal, Illinois ranking. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 90th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC at $2,100/wk, #5 True Transport Inc. at $2,250/wk, #6 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #7 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #8 SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at $2,100/wk, #9 HandledNow LLC at $1,550/wk, #10 MNS1 EXPRESS INC at $2,050/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Normal, Illinois
Of active CDL postings in Normal, Illinois this month, 24% are regional and 71% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 5%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 4% of Normal, Illinois postings; dedicated routes at 26%; take-truck-home at 81%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 65% and riders-allowed at 66%.
How Normal, Illinois compares to Illinois
| Normal, Illinois | Illinois top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 35% | 41% | -6 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 33% | 41% | -8 pt |
| Guaranteed pay | 14% | 8% | +6 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 88% | 82% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Normal, Illinois's biggest divergence from Illinois is on dedicated routes, 8 points below the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Illinois
Illinois is one of the most strategically located CDL states — Chicago is the largest US intermodal rail hub, so a huge percentage of national freight passes through. The metro lanes pay well but congestion on I-80, I-90, and I-294 is consistent enough to be a real income variable. Outside the Chicago metro, downstate Illinois looks much more like Iowa or Indiana — agricultural freight, less density, easier driving. State income tax is moderate. The winter operational profile is severe: lake-effect snow, road salt, and the freezing-thawing cycle eat equipment faster than most southern states.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Normal, Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Normal, Illinois
- Best trucking companies in Illinois
The methodology behind the rankings
Carriers are scored against carriers in their own market. The composite is 30% compensation (pay + bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement cadence), 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits (W2 vs owner-op scoring), and 20% operational performance (responsiveness + fleet scale). No paid placement — the weights are the same for every carrier in the index. Updated November 2026.