Updated July 2026
Best Trucking Companies in South Dakota (July 2026)
There are 374 W2 trucking carriers currently posting jobs in South Dakota. The ranking below reflects active jobs as of July 2026, not historical pay surveys. Forest Brook Trucking LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,600. 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 July 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 Forest Brook Trucking LLC at $1,600/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1Forest Brook Trucking LLC — $1,600/wk
Forest Brook Trucking LLC tops the South Dakota ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. On hours-of-service compliance, the carrier ranks in the 97th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. Lanefinder's application data flags Forest Brook Trucking LLC as a responsive employer.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 96th percentile across South Dakota. True Transport Inc.'s top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile.
True Transport Inc. doesn't top the ranking but offers higher weekly pay than #1 — $2,250/week.
#3PREMIER TRANSPORTATION — $1,950/wk
PREMIER TRANSPORTATION's weekly pay ranks in the 86th percentile across South Dakota. PREMIER TRANSPORTATION's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 97th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 DICK IRVIN INC at $2,250/wk, #5 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #6 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #8 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #9 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk, #10 Badger Express LLC at $1,700/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, 65% 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 July 2026.