Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Santa Monica, California (September 2026)
Lanefinder is tracking 243 W2 trucking carriers in Santa Monica, California (September 2026). WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,600 and an average $5,000 sign-on bonus. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC follows at $2,200/week. California freight is dominated by the Port of LA / Long Beach complex, Central Valley agriculture, and the Inland Empire warehouse cluster along I-10 and I-15.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
The trucking companies leading Santa Monica, California this month
The top of the list is WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $1,600/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC — $1,600/wk
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC tops the Santa Monica, California ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 93rd percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Santa Monica, California.
#2JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC's weekly pay ranks in the 94th percentile across Santa Monica, California. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 93rd percentile.
#3TP TRUCKING — $1,950/wk
TP TRUCKING sits in the 86th percentile for weekly pay among Santa Monica, California carriers. TP TRUCKING ranks in the 92nd percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 FRESHPOINT CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INC at $2,500/wk, #5 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #6 AJR Trucking Inc at $1,815/wk, #7 G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC at $2,045/wk, #8 ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC at $2,000/wk, #9 Sika Corporation at $1,750/wk, #10 BRADY TRUCKING INC at $1,750/wk.
What Santa Monica, California drivers actually run
The route mix in Santa Monica, California this month tilts OTR: 16% regional, 70% OTR, 11% local, 3% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Santa Monica, California CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 32% dedicated, 68% take-truck-home, 60% pet-friendly, 58% riders-allowed.
Where Santa Monica, California differs from the California baseline
| Santa Monica, California | California top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 84% | 72% | +12 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 74% | 68% | +6 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 72% | 66% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
Among the figures above, take-truck-home is where Santa Monica, California differs most from California — 12 points above statewide.
Driving CDL in California
California is one of the toughest states to drive CDL in the country, and one of the most lucrative for the right setup. CARB clean-truck enforcement is the most aggressive in the US, so newer equipment is effectively required for fleet work — if you're owner-op, plan the truck purchase around it. Drayage out of LA / Long Beach and warehouse-rotation work in the Inland Empire pay near the top of the national scale, but cost of living is brutal. The mountain passes (Cajon, Grapevine, Donner) add real winter complexity that most other Southwest lanes don't. Drivers with serious mountain experience earn it back.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Santa Monica, California
- CDL driver salary in Santa Monica, California
- Best trucking companies in California
Where this data comes from
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.