Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Texas (May 2026)
Through May 2026, 577 carriers in Texas employ W2 company drivers across the lanes Lanefinder tracks. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. Texas freight moves on I-10 / I-35 / I-20 corridors connecting Gulf Coast energy and Port of Houston to border crossings at Laredo and El Paso — two of the busiest US-Mexico commercial crossings — and large retail and manufacturing distribution inland.
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 Texas 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 tops the Texas ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Weekly pay here lands in the 95th percentile across Texas. Top FMCSA dimension here is controlled-substances compliance, in the 88th percentile. KEEP TRUCKING LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc.'s weekly pay ranks in the 97th percentile across Texas. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
For pure pay maximization, True Transport Inc. beats the #1-ranked carrier weekly at $2,250.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Texas carriers. On unsafe-driving avoidance, the carrier ranks in the 94th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #5 SABUR LLC at $1,850/wk, #6 HMD TRUCKING INC at $1,800/wk, #7 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #8 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #9 DIVINE ENTERPRISES at $1,375/wk, #10 ECONOMY TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS LLC at $2,250/wk.
What Texas drivers actually run
The route mix in Texas this month tilts OTR: 20% regional, 61% OTR, 14% local, 4% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Texas postings; dedicated routes at 29%; take-truck-home at 62%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 53% and riders-allowed at 51%.
Driving CDL in Texas
Texas is the largest CDL market in the country and the deepest mix of lane types. Cross-border work out of Laredo and El Paso, oil-field service in the Permian Basin, dedicated retail out of Dallas and Houston, and reefer pulling produce out of the Rio Grande Valley all run from different parts of the state — and they pay very differently. Texas has favorable trucking regulations and no state income tax, which is real money on the back end. The summer heat is the operational variable most newcomers underestimate; equipment, hours, and load-securing all behave differently when ambient temps hit 110°F.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Texas
- CDL driver salary in Texas
- Best trucking companies in the United States
The methodology behind the rankings
Rankings combine four signals: compensation (30%) including pay percentile, sign-on bonuses, guaranteed pay, and settlement frequency; FMCSA safety (25%); benefits (25%) scored differently for W2 vs owner-operator carriers; and operational performance (20%) measuring employer responsiveness and fleet scale. Recomputed monthly from real active job postings. Updated May 2026.