Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Peoria, Illinois (September 2026)
Peoria, Illinois has 400 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. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,700 and an average $5,000 sign-on bonus. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,750/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 September 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 Peoria, Illinois this month
The top of the list is WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $1,700/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC — $1,700/wk
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC is number-one in Peoria, Illinois this month on the composite ranking. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 93rd percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. Lanefinder's application data flags WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC as a responsive employer.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,750/wk
FW TRUCKING's top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 92nd percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags FW TRUCKING as a responsive employer.
#3HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC — $2,100/wk
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC pays above the 89th percentile on weekly pay for the Peoria, Illinois market. HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC ranks in the 99th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data.
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC leads Peoria, Illinois's top 10 on sign-on bonus, advertising $10,000 for new drivers.
Also in the top 10: #4 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #5 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #6 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 TDR TRANSPORT at $2,200/wk, #8 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #9 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #10 Badger Express LLC at $1,700/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Peoria, Illinois
Of active CDL postings in Peoria, Illinois this month, 23% are regional and 72% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 5%.
Across Peoria, Illinois CDL postings: 4% with guaranteed pay, 25% dedicated, 81% take-truck-home, 66% pet-friendly, 67% riders-allowed.
How Peoria, Illinois compares to Illinois
Peoria, Illinois's biggest divergence from Illinois is on riders-allowed policies, 13 points above 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 Peoria, Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Peoria, Illinois
- Best trucking companies in Illinois
The methodology behind the rankings
Pay carriers against each other within the same market (30%). Layer a weighted FMCSA SAFER safety percentile on top (25%). Score the benefits package against what actually matters for the hiring type — W2 health/financial benefits or owner-op operational perks (25%). Finish with operational performance: responsiveness to driver applications plus fleet scale (20%). All percentiles are recomputed monthly. Updated September 2026.