Updated July 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Salt Lake City, Utah (July 2026)
In Salt Lake City, Utah as of July 2026, 254 carriers are actively hiring W2 company drivers. Cowboy State Trucking, Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000 and an average $5,000 sign-on bonus. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC follows at $2,200/week. Salt Lake City sits at the I-15 / I-80 crossroads connecting Pacific Coast distribution to the Mountain West interior, with growing technology and data-center freight, copper and mineral mining loads, and outdoor-gear manufacturing.
What changed in July 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Salt Lake City, Utah's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is Cowboy State Trucking, Inc. at $2,000/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1Cowboy State Trucking, Inc. — $2,000/wk
Cowboy State Trucking, Inc. tops the Salt Lake City, Utah ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Cowboy State Trucking, Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 90th percentile across Salt Lake City, Utah. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 84th percentile.
#2JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC pays above the 90th percentile on weekly pay for the Salt Lake City, Utah market. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 93rd percentile.
#3DICK IRVIN INC — $2,250/wk
DICK IRVIN INC sits in the 96th percentile for weekly pay among Salt Lake City, Utah carriers. DICK IRVIN INC ranks in the 97th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 Mountain States L.P. Gas at $2,000/wk, #5 TP TRUCKING at $1,950/wk, #6 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #7 ALBA TRANS INC at $3,000/wk, #8 Dillard Trucking at $2,200/wk, #9 G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC at $2,045/wk, #10 Gary Amoth Trucking at $1,700/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Salt Lake City, Utah
Of active CDL postings in Salt Lake City, Utah this month, 17% are regional and 77% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 6%.
Across Salt Lake City, Utah CDL postings: 3% with guaranteed pay, 28% dedicated, 74% take-truck-home, 65% pet-friendly, 66% riders-allowed.
Salt Lake City, Utah vs Utah: the numbers that diverge
| Salt Lake City, Utah | Utah top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riders-allowed policies | 86% | 78% | +8 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 96% | 90% | +6 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 82% | 76% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, July 2026
Among the figures above, riders-allowed policies is where Salt Lake City, Utah differs most from Utah — 8 points above statewide.
Driving CDL in Utah
Utah freight centers on Salt Lake City's I-15 / I-80 crossroads, which connects Pacific Coast distribution to the Mountain West interior. Growing technology (Silicon Slopes), outdoor gear manufacturing, and traditional mining and energy freight all add to the lane mix. Mountain driving is operational reality, not exception — Parley's Canyon east of SLC and the Wasatch passes are winter variables. Cost of living is moderate. Utah has a moderate flat state income tax. The state has unusually strict CDL drug-testing and reporting; check requirements if relocating from elsewhere.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Salt Lake City, Utah
- CDL driver salary in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Best trucking companies in Utah
The methodology behind the 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 July 2026.