Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Raleigh, North Carolina (May 2026)
In Raleigh, North Carolina as of May 2026, 321 carriers are actively hiring W2 company drivers. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. Raleigh is the Research Triangle's primary distribution node on I-40 / I-540 / US-1, with pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturing, life-sciences cold-chain freight from Research Triangle Park, and rapid population growth driving last-mile 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 Raleigh, North Carolina 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 Raleigh, North Carolina this month on the composite ranking. KEEP TRUCKING LLC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Raleigh, North Carolina carriers. KEEP TRUCKING LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on controlled-substances compliance — 88th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Raleigh, North Carolina.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. pays above the 92nd percentile on weekly pay for the Raleigh, North Carolina market. True Transport Inc.'s top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Raleigh, North Carolina.
True Transport Inc. actually pays more weekly than the top-ranked carrier — $2,250/week.
#3TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC — $2,000/wk
TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC sits in the 91st percentile for weekly pay among Raleigh, North Carolina carriers. Top FMCSA dimension here is hours-of-service compliance, in the 97th percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #6 HMD TRUCKING INC at $1,800/wk, #7 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #8 Maumee Express, Inc. at $1,925/wk, #9 YARBROUGH TRANSFER COMPANY at $1,850/wk, #10 ECM ENERGY SERVICES INC at $1,950/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Raleigh, North Carolina
22% of Raleigh, North Carolina's active CDL postings are regional and 76% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (2%).
Across Raleigh, North Carolina CDL postings: 3% with guaranteed pay, 24% dedicated, 81% take-truck-home, 66% pet-friendly, 66% riders-allowed.
How Raleigh, North Carolina compares to North Carolina
| Raleigh, North Carolina | North Carolina top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riders-allowed policies | 80% | 73% | +7 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 76% | 71% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Raleigh, North Carolina's biggest divergence from North Carolina is on riders-allowed policies, 7 points above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in North Carolina
North Carolina CDL work spans a broad mix — port-and-container out of Wilmington and Morehead City, manufacturing in the Triangle (Raleigh-Durham), distribution and textile freight around Charlotte, and tobacco / agricultural loads from the eastern half of the state. The driver-experience profile is generally favorable: moderate winters, no significant mountain work outside the western tip, and a cost of living well below the national average even in the metro areas. State income tax is flat and moderate. I-85 between Greensboro and Charlotte is one of the busier Southeast freight lanes; weekday congestion through Greensboro is a planning variable. NC is one of the better states for a new CDL driver to build experience without immediately running mountains or severe weather.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Raleigh, North Carolina
- CDL driver salary in Raleigh, North Carolina
- Best trucking companies in North Carolina
How we compile these rankings
The composite score is 30% compensation, 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits, and 20% operational performance. Pay percentiles are computed against carriers currently hiring in each market; FMCSA percentiles come from SAFER and weight unsafe-driving and hours-of-service violations 2× heavier than the other three dimensions. Updated May 2026.