Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Ohio (May 2026)
680 W2 trucking carriers are hiring in Ohio this May 2026. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. Ohio sits at the center of the US manufacturing belt, with I-70 / I-71 / I-75 forming a freight grid through Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati and major automotive, steel, and chemical supply chains driving consistent lane demand.
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 Ohio 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 is number-one in Ohio this month on the composite ranking. Weekly pay here lands in the 96th percentile across Ohio. Strongest FMCSA dimension is controlled-substances compliance — 88th percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. pays above the 92nd percentile on weekly pay for the Ohio market. Strongest FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance — 99th percentile. True Transport Inc. tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
For pure pay maximization, True Transport Inc. beats the #1-ranked carrier weekly at $2,250.
#3Covenant Transport Inc — $1,762/wk
Covenant Transport Inc's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 94th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #6 DIVINE ENTERPRISES at $1,375/wk, #7 MCK TRUCKING INC at $1,700/wk, #8 Norris Milk Hauling LTD at $1,750/wk, #9 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #10 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Ohio
Of active CDL postings in Ohio this month, 29% are regional and 52% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 19%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Ohio postings; dedicated routes at 28%; take-truck-home at 65%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 53% and riders-allowed at 53%.
Driving CDL in Ohio
Ohio sits at the center of the US manufacturing belt and runs about as much through-freight as any state. I-70, I-71, I-75, and the Ohio Turnpike form a freight grid that's flat, generally well-maintained, and forgiving for newer drivers — Ohio is one of the better states to gain initial OTR experience. The Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati metros each anchor distinct lane profiles (auto, distribution, and pharmaceutical respectively). Winter operational risk is real — lake-effect off Erie, freezing rain in the central part of the state — but less extreme than the Great Plains states. Ohio cost of living is below the national average, which makes the income math work better than the headline pay numbers suggest.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Ohio
- CDL driver salary in Ohio
- Best trucking companies in the United States
How we compile these rankings
Rankings combine four signals: compensation (30%) including pay percentile, sign-on bonuses, guaranteed pay, and settlement frequency; FMCSA safety (25%); benefits (25%) scored differently for W2 vs owner-operator carriers; and operational performance (20%) measuring employer responsiveness and fleet scale. Recomputed monthly from real active job postings. Updated May 2026.