Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Rochester, New York (May 2026)
Lanefinder's index counts 252 active W2 trucking carriers in Rochester, New York this May 2026. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. Rochester sits on I-490 / I-90 near Lake Ontario, with precision manufacturing (Paychex, Kodak legacy operations, medical optics), agricultural flows from the Finger Lakes and western New York, and regional distribution on I-490.
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 Rochester, New York differs from the New York baseline
| Rochester, New York | New York top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 40% | 46% | -6 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 27% | 42% | -15 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 88% | 77% | +11 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 69% | 60% | +9 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 75% | 67% | +8 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Among the figures above, dedicated routes is where Rochester, New York differs most from New York — 15 points below statewide.
Where CDL pay is strongest in Rochester, New York 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 leads the Rochester, New York market on combined pay and ranking score this month. Weekly pay here lands in the 94th percentile across Rochester, New York. KEEP TRUCKING LLC ranks in the 88th percentile for controlled-substances compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. KEEP TRUCKING LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 97th percentile across Rochester, New York. True Transport Inc. ranks in the 99th percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
For pure pay maximization, True Transport Inc. beats the #1-ranked carrier weekly at $2,250.
#3MCK TRUCKING INC — $2,200/wk
MCK TRUCKING INC pays above the 89th percentile on weekly pay for the Rochester, New York market. MCK TRUCKING INC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 91st percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 HMD TRUCKING INC at $1,875/wk, #6 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #7 ECM ENERGY SERVICES INC at $1,950/wk, #8 JS HELWIG & SON LLC at $1,850/wk, #9 Safeway Trucking Corporation at $2,250/wk, #10 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk.
What Rochester, New York drivers actually run
19% of Rochester, New York's active CDL postings are regional and 75% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (6%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Rochester, New York postings; dedicated routes at 23%; take-truck-home at 79%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 64% and riders-allowed at 62%.
Driving CDL in New York
New York CDL work is mostly upstate or NYC-metro last-mile — almost no through-driver wants to deal with the Five Boroughs more than necessary. The patchwork of bridge tolls (MTA Bridges & Tunnels, Port Authority, Thruway Authority), the truck-route restrictions in Manhattan and on the parkways, and the weight-on-bridge rules add real planning overhead. Long Island delivery work pays a premium for drivers who can actually navigate it. Upstate freight on I-90 / I-87 looks much more like normal interstate driving, with the addition of real winter — lake-effect snow off Erie and Ontario can shut runs down. State income tax is high; many drivers based here run out-of-state lanes to keep the math working.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Rochester, New York
- CDL driver salary in Rochester, New York
- Best trucking companies in New York
Where this data comes from
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.