Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Owensboro, Kentucky (November 2026)
For W2 company drivers in Owensboro, Kentucky, Lanefinder tracks 370 carriers as of November 2026. Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. McLeod Express LLC follows at $1,600/week. Kentucky is home to UPS Worldport in Louisville, the world's largest automated package handling facility, with I-65 / I-71 / I-75 truck corridors feeding automotive assembly plants and a major bourbon-export manufacturing cluster.
What changed in November 2026
SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at #8 and MNS1 EXPRESS INC at #9 are new to the top 50 in Owensboro, Kentucky. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#37 → #1) and FW TRUCKING (#20 → #4). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#2 → #25) and South East Carriers INC (#6 → #17). Elsewhere in the top 50, 5 carriers joined, 7 left, 39 changed rank, and 1 changed pay or benefits.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrington Transportation Inc. | #37 | #1 | Up 36 places |
| McLeod Express LLC | #9 | #2 | Up 7 placesweekly pay down 1.5% ($1,625 → $1,600) |
| HandledNow LLC | #1 | #3 | Down 2 places |
| FW TRUCKING | #20 | #4 | Up 16 places |
| True Transport Inc. | #14 | #5 | Up 9 places |
| PREMIER TRANSPORTATION | #3 | #6 | Down 3 places |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #4 | #7 | Down 3 places |
| SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC | Not ranked | #8 | New |
| MNS1 EXPRESS INC | Not ranked | #9 | New |
| Covenant Transport Inc | #5 | #10 | Down 5 places |
| Mountain States L.P. Gas | Not ranked | #11 | New |
| DICK LAVY TRUCKING | Not ranked | #12 | New |
| Great Plains Trucking Inc. | #7 | #13 | Down 6 places |
| PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC | #8 | #14 | Down 6 places |
| ARKA EXPRESS INC | Not ranked | #15 | New |
| GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION | #11 | #16 | Down 5 places |
| South East Carriers INC | #6 | #17 | Down 11 places |
| Badger Express LLC | #10 | #18 | Down 8 places |
| JS HELWIG & SON LLC | #12 | #19 | Down 7 places |
| Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. | #13 | #20 | Down 7 places |
| G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC | #16 | #21 | Down 5 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #15 | #22 | Down 7 places |
| G & C FOOD DISTRIBUTORS & BROKERS INC | #17 | #23 | Down 6 places |
| ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC | #18 | #24 | Down 6 places |
| LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY | #2 | #25 | Down 23 places |
| MC CARRIER LLC | #22 | #26 | Down 4 places |
| BRADY TRUCKING INC | #19 | #27 | Down 8 places |
| HOLLAND ENTERPRISES INC | #24 | #28 | Down 4 places |
| C & G TRANSPORTATION INC | #27 | #29 | Down 2 places |
| R B HUMPHREYS INC | Not ranked | #30 | New |
| KAISER TRANSPORT INC | #25 | #31 | Down 6 places |
| AFC Transport, Inc | #29 | #32 | Down 3 places |
| A & H INC | #30 | #33 | Down 3 places |
| RIVER CITY TRANSPORT INC | #26 | #34 | Down 8 places |
| Alco Transportation Inc | #28 | #35 | Down 7 places |
| AN ENTERPRISE INC | #32 | #36 | Down 4 places |
| EA EXPRESS LLC | #35 | #37 | Down 2 places |
| SERVICE ONE TRANSPORT INC | #34 | #38 | Down 4 places |
| LUCKY WORLD INC | Not ranked | #39 | New |
| CARGORX DRY CAPACITY | #38 | #40 | Down 2 places |
| BARTELS TRUCK LINE INC | #36 | #41 | Down 5 places |
| HUTCHINSON TRUCKING LLC | #39 | #42 | Down 3 places |
| RAPID RESPONSE, INC. | #40 | #43 | Down 3 places |
| CJC CARRIER LLC | #42 | #44 | Down 2 places |
| TDR TRANSPORT | #43 | #45 | Down 2 places |
| CTK LOGISTICS LLC | #44 | #46 | Down 2 places |
| Bakers Express | #45 | #47 | Down 2 places |
| DRAKE FARMS TRUCKING INC | #46 | #48 | Down 2 places |
| SEMO EXPRESS LLC | #47 | #49 | Down 2 places |
| EAGLE EYE TRUCK LINES LLC | #48 | #50 | Down 2 places |
| H & M TRUCKING INC | #21 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WILLIAMS PRESTIGE ENTERPRISE | #23 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Z TRANSPORTATION INC | #31 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Excel Trucking LLC | #33 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| REISCH TRUCKING INC | #41 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| S & R TRANSPORTATION LLC | #49 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| National Express Carriers | #50 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Owensboro, Kentucky's top trucking carriers right now
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. is number-one in Owensboro, Kentucky this month on the composite ranking. Herrington Transportation Inc. pays above the 85th percentile on weekly pay for the Owensboro, Kentucky market. Lanefinder's application data flags Herrington Transportation Inc. as a responsive employer.
#2McLeod Express LLC — $1,600/wk
McLeod Express LLC rose 7 positions month-over-month, from #9 to #2. McLeod Express LLC ranks in the 94th percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data. McLeod Express LLC runs a guaranteed-pay structure on the comp package.
McLeod Express LLC is the lone Owensboro, Kentucky top-10 carrier offering OTR work with a guaranteed weekly wage.
#3HandledNow LLC — $1,550/wk
HandledNow LLC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 99th percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags HandledNow LLC as a responsive employer. Weekly pay is guaranteed regardless of miles run.
The top sign-on bonus in Owensboro, Kentucky's top 10 is HandledNow LLC's — $7,500.
Also in the top 10: #4 FW TRUCKING at $1,800/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 MNS1 EXPRESS INC at $2,050/wk, #10 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Owensboro, Kentucky
The route mix in Owensboro, Kentucky this month tilts OTR: 24% regional, 74% OTR, 2% local, 0% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 3% of Owensboro, Kentucky postings; dedicated routes at 25%; take-truck-home at 83%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 67% and riders-allowed at 68%.
Where Owensboro, Kentucky differs from the Kentucky baseline
| Owensboro, Kentucky | Kentucky top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated routes | 32% | 47% | -15 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 88% | 76% | +12 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 96% | 86% | +10 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 74% | 67% | +7 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
The largest gap is on dedicated routes: Owensboro, Kentucky sits 15 points below the Kentucky baseline.
Driving CDL in Kentucky
Kentucky is home to UPS Worldport in Louisville, the world's largest automated package handling facility, which generates enormous regional trucking demand around the nightly sort cycle. The I-65 / I-71 / I-75 corridors feed automotive assembly (Toyota Georgetown, Ford Louisville) and bourbon distillery distribution. Coal freight from eastern KY mines moves by rail and truck to power plants. Cost of living is below the national average. Kentucky has a low flat state income tax. I-75 through the eastern KY mountains in winter is no joke.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Owensboro, Kentucky
- CDL driver salary in Owensboro, Kentucky
- Best trucking companies in Kentucky
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 November 2026.