Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Paterson, New Jersey (September 2026)
Paterson, New Jersey has 300 active W2 trucking carriers as of September 2026. The carriers ranked below are scored on real driver pay, FMCSA safety, benefits, and how they treat applicants. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. Covenant Transport Inc follows at $1,762/week. 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 serving the New York metro market.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Paterson, New Jersey's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC tops the Paterson, New Jersey ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC pays above the 91st percentile on weekly pay for the Paterson, New Jersey market. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC's FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 93rd percentile.
#2Covenant Transport Inc — $1,762/wk
Covenant Transport Inc ranks in the 99th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data.
#3PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC — $1,750/wk
PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 98th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 Maumee Express, Inc. at $1,925/wk, #5 ROAD SCHOLAR TRANSPORTATION LLC at $2,000/wk, #6 HandledNow LLC at $1,875/wk, #7 ECM ENERGY SERVICES INC at $1,950/wk, #8 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk, #9 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk, #10 G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC at $2,045/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Paterson, New Jersey
19% of Paterson, New Jersey's active CDL postings are regional and 65% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (16%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Paterson, New Jersey postings; dedicated routes at 29%; take-truck-home at 69%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 57% and riders-allowed at 56%.
Paterson, New Jersey vs New Jersey: the numbers that diverge
| Paterson, New Jersey | New Jersey top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 41% | 47% | -6 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 86% | 76% | +10 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
Among the figures above, take-truck-home is where Paterson, New Jersey differs most from New Jersey — 10 points above statewide.
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 Paterson, New Jersey
- CDL driver salary in Paterson, New Jersey
- Best trucking companies in New Jersey
The methodology behind the rankings
Four weighted components. Compensation carries 30% and includes pay percentile, sign-on bonus tier, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement frequency. FMCSA safety carries 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions. Benefits carry 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator carriers. Operational performance carries 20%, measuring application responsiveness and fleet scale. Updated September 2026.