Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Santa Monica, California (November 2026)
Lanefinder is tracking 245 W2 trucking carriers in Santa Monica, California (November 2026). Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC follows at $1,700/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 November 2026
HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC at #2 and Mountain States L.P. Gas at #4 are new to the top 50 in Santa Monica, California. Biggest climb: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#21 → #1). Biggest fall: REISCH TRUCKING INC (#29 → #46). Elsewhere in the top 50, 2 carriers joined, 4 left, and 40 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herrington Transportation Inc. | #21 | #1 | Up 20 places |
| HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC | Not ranked | #2 | New |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #1 | #3 | Down 2 places |
| Mountain States L.P. Gas | Not ranked | #4 | New |
| FRESHPOINT CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INC | #2 | #5 | Down 3 places |
| PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC | #3 | #6 | Down 3 places |
| G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC | #5 | #7 | Down 2 places |
| Dillard Trucking | #10 | #8 | Up 2 places |
| ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC | #6 | #9 | Down 3 places |
| AJR Trucking Inc | #4 | #10 | Down 6 places |
| MC CARRIER LLC | #9 | #11 | Down 2 places |
| Sika Corporation | #7 | #12 | Down 5 places |
| BRADY TRUCKING INC | #8 | #13 | Down 5 places |
| Fisher Brothers Trucking | #11 | #14 | Down 3 places |
| HOLLAND ENTERPRISES INC | #17 | #15 | Up 2 places |
| KAISER TRANSPORT INC | #15 | #16 | Down 1 place |
| NEIER INC | #16 | #17 | Down 1 place |
| RIVER CITY TRANSPORT INC | #13 | #18 | Down 5 places |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #18 | #19 | Down 1 place |
| TRIUS TRUCKING INC | #14 | #20 | Down 6 places |
| TAYLOR TRUCK LINE INC | #20 | #21 | Down 1 place |
| HAWKS TRANSPORT LLC | Not ranked | #22 | New |
| Brenny Specialized Inc | #22 | #23 | Down 1 place |
| Excel Trucking LLC | #19 | #24 | Down 5 places |
| CARGORX DRY CAPACITY | #26 | #25 | Up 1 place |
| Prime Inc. | #24 | #26 | Down 2 places |
| HOLLIDAY ROCK CO INC | #25 | #27 | Down 2 places |
| HUTCHINSON TRUCKING LLC | #27 | #28 | Down 1 place |
| TRANS XPRESS LINE INC | #28 | #29 | Down 1 place |
| NTA, LTD. | #31 | #30 | Up 1 place |
| Cross Integrated Transport, LLC | #32 | #31 | Up 1 place |
| STONE TRANSPORT | #35 | #32 | Up 3 places |
| ELITE EXPRESS | #34 | #33 | Up 1 place |
| CTK LOGISTICS LLC | #30 | #34 | Down 4 places |
| Southland Transportation | #33 | #35 | Down 2 places |
| VITAL TRANSPORTATION CORP | #38 | #37 | Up 1 place |
| Bakers Express | #37 | #38 | Down 1 place |
| EAGLE EYE TRUCK LINES LLC | #40 | #39 | Up 1 place |
| K & R TRANSPORT LLC | #41 | #40 | Up 1 place |
| Idea Transport LLC | #39 | #41 | Down 2 places |
| BIG WINGS LLC | Not ranked | #42 | New |
| REISCH TRUCKING INC | #29 | #46 | Down 17 places |
| 1 MTX LLC | #46 | #47 | Down 1 place |
| Parks Motor Group Inc | #47 | #48 | Down 1 place |
| Detmar Logistics | #48 | #49 | Down 1 place |
| NAJJAR BROTHERS LLC | #49 | #50 | Down 1 place |
| WILLIAMS PRESTIGE ENTERPRISE | #12 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #23 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| SMARTWAY EXPRESS INC | #42 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| HORIZON TRANSPORTATION | #50 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
The trucking companies leading Santa Monica, California 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. tops the Santa Monica, California ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Herrington Transportation Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 90th percentile across Santa Monica, California. Herrington Transportation Inc. tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC — $1,700/wk
HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC makes its first-time appearance in Santa Monica, California's ranking this month. Strongest FMCSA dimension is driver fitness — 93rd percentile. HIGH MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC's weekly pay ranks in the 93rd percentile across Santa Monica, California. Top FMCSA dimension here is vehicle maintenance, in the 94th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 Mountain States L.P. Gas at $2,000/wk, #5 FRESHPOINT CENTRAL CALIFORNIA INC at $2,500/wk, #6 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #7 G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC at $2,045/wk, #8 Dillard Trucking at $2,200/wk, #9 ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC at $2,000/wk, #10 AJR Trucking Inc at $1,815/wk.
What Santa Monica, California drivers actually run
The route mix in Santa Monica, California this month tilts OTR: 16% regional, 69% OTR, 12% local, 3% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Santa Monica, California CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 32% dedicated, 67% take-truck-home, 59% pet-friendly, 56% riders-allowed.
Where Santa Monica, California differs from the California baseline
| Santa Monica, California | California top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 82% | 72% | +10 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 72% | 66% | +6 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 68% | 62% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Among the figures above, take-truck-home is where Santa Monica, California differs most from California — 10 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 emissions rules are the strictest in the US, so engine year and compliance matter for fleet work — if you're owner-op, check current CARB rules before buying a truck. Drayage out of LA / Long Beach and warehouse-rotation work in the Inland Empire pay above the national average, but cost of living is brutal. The mountain passes (Grapevine, Donner, plus high winds on Cajon) 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 November 2026.