Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Rockford, Illinois (November 2026)
Lanefinder tracks 419 W2 trucking carriers hiring in Rockford, Illinois. Rankings below reflect November 2026 data: pay percentiles, FMCSA safety, benefit prevalence, and operational performance. Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,800/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 November 2026
McLeod Express LLC at #6 and SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at #9 are new to the top 50 in Rockford, Illinois. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#36 → #1) and FW TRUCKING (#21 → #2). Biggest fall: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#1 → #25). Elsewhere in the top 50, 6 carriers joined, 8 left, and 38 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
Where CDL pay is strongest in Rockford, Illinois this month
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. leads the Rockford, Illinois market on combined pay and ranking score this month. The carrier ranks in the 91st percentile for weekly pay in Rockford, Illinois. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,800/wk
FW TRUCKING climbed from #21 to #2 this month — one of the biggest moves in Rockford, Illinois. On unsafe-driving avoidance, the carrier ranks in the 90th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data.
#3HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC — $2,100/wk
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC pays above the 88th percentile on weekly pay for the Rockford, Illinois market. Strongest FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance — 99th percentile.
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC leads Rockford, Illinois's top 10 on sign-on bonus, advertising $10,000 for new drivers.
Also in the top 10: #4 True Transport Inc. at $2,250/wk, #5 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #6 McLeod Express LLC at $1,462/wk, #7 HandledNow LLC at $1,550/wk, #8 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #9 SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at $2,100/wk, #10 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Rockford, Illinois
Of active CDL postings in Rockford, Illinois this month, 23% are regional and 70% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 7%.
Across Rockford, Illinois CDL postings: 3% with guaranteed pay, 26% dedicated, 79% take-truck-home, 63% pet-friendly, 65% riders-allowed.
How Rockford, Illinois compares to Illinois
| Rockford, Illinois | Illinois top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated routes | 33% | 41% | -8 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 88% | 82% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Rockford, Illinois's biggest divergence from Illinois is on dedicated routes, 8 points below 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 Rockford, Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Rockford, Illinois
- Best trucking companies in Illinois
The methodology behind the rankings
Compensation, FMCSA safety, benefits, and operational performance — weighted 30, 25, 25, and 20 percent respectively. Compensation extends beyond headline pay to include sign-on bonus tier and settlement cadence. Benefits scoring differs by hiring type because the perks that matter to a W2 driver and a contractor are not the same. Updated November 2026.