Updated July 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Santa Monica, California (July 2026)
Lanefinder is tracking 242 W2 trucking carriers in Santa Monica, California (July 2026). JK MOVING & STORAGE INC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. CARGORX DRY CAPACITY follows at $1,900/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 July 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 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC tops the Santa Monica, California ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. 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.
#2CARGORX DRY CAPACITY — $1,900/wk
CARGORX DRY CAPACITY ranks in the 89th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. Lanefinder's application data flags CARGORX DRY CAPACITY as a responsive employer.
#3TP TRUCKING — $1,950/wk
TP TRUCKING sits in the 85th percentile for weekly pay among Santa Monica, California carriers. TP TRUCKING ranks in the 93rd 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 Dillard Trucking at $2,200/wk, #9 ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC at $2,000/wk, #10 Sika Corporation 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, 2% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Santa Monica, California CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 32% dedicated, 67% take-truck-home, 58% pet-friendly, 56% riders-allowed.
Where Santa Monica, California differs from the California baseline
| Santa Monica, California | California top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 84% | 74% | +10 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 69% | 64% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, July 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 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 July 2026.