Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in South Dakota (May 2026)
There are 378 W2 trucking carriers currently posting jobs in South Dakota. The ranking below reflects active jobs as of May 2026, not historical pay surveys. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. South Dakota freight runs on I-29 north-south and I-90 east-west, with Sioux Falls as the primary distribution hub, and agricultural shipments of corn, soybeans, and cattle accounting for the bulk of statewide load volume.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Where CDL pay is strongest in South Dakota this month
The top of the list is KEEP TRUCKING LLC at $2,200/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1KEEP TRUCKING LLC — $2,200/wk
KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads the South Dakota market on combined pay and ranking score this month. KEEP TRUCKING LLC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among South Dakota carriers. KEEP TRUCKING LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on controlled-substances compliance — 88th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in South Dakota.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 97th percentile across South Dakota. True Transport Inc.'s top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in South Dakota.
True Transport Inc. doesn't top the ranking but offers higher weekly pay than #1 — $2,250/week.
#3DICK IRVIN INC — $2,250/wk
DICK IRVIN INC's weekly pay ranks in the 97th percentile across South Dakota. DICK IRVIN INC ranks in the 96th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data.
DICK IRVIN INC leads South Dakota's top 10 on sign-on bonus, advertising $10,000 for new drivers.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #6 SABUR LLC at $1,850/wk, #7 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #8 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #9 KOTTKE TRUCKING INC at $2,000/wk, #10 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk.
What South Dakota drivers actually run
The route mix in South Dakota this month tilts OTR: 19% regional, 77% OTR, 3% local, 2% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across South Dakota CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 25% dedicated, 80% take-truck-home, 66% pet-friendly, 66% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in South Dakota
South Dakota freight runs on I-29 north-south and I-90 east-west, with Sioux Falls as the primary distribution hub. Agricultural shipments of corn, soybeans, and cattle account for the bulk of statewide load volume. Cost of living is among the lowest in the country, and South Dakota has no state income tax — both meaningful for drivers based here. Winter on the I-90 stretch through the prairie is severe (drifting snow, ice). Western SD is genuinely remote — long fuel-stop gaps. Cattle hauling in the western half is a distinct seasonal segment.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in South Dakota
- CDL driver salary in South Dakota
- Best trucking companies in the United States
Where this data comes from
The score is built from four buckets. Thirty percent compensation, drawn from real active job postings and modified by bonus and settlement structure. Twenty-five percent safety, from FMCSA SAFER. Twenty-five percent benefits, scored hiring-type-aware. Twenty percent operational performance, drawn from how carriers actually behave toward applicants. Updated May 2026.