Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Topeka, Kansas (September 2026)
For W2 company drivers in Topeka, Kansas, Lanefinder tracks 319 carriers as of September 2026. FW TRUCKING leads with an average weekly pay of $1,750. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC follows at $1,700/week. Kansas freight moves on the I-70 east-west transcontinental corridor and I-35 north-south, with agricultural commodities — wheat, beef, and grain — dominating loads and the Kansas City metro serving as a regional hub.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
The trucking companies leading Topeka, Kansas this month
The top of the list is FW TRUCKING at $1,750/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1FW TRUCKING — $1,750/wk
FW TRUCKING tops the Topeka, Kansas ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 92nd percentile. FW TRUCKING tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC — $1,700/wk
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 93rd percentile. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC offers the highest sign-on bonus among Topeka, Kansas's top 10 — $5,000.
#3PREMIER TRANSPORTATION — $2,125/wk
PREMIER TRANSPORTATION pays above the 88th percentile on weekly pay for the Topeka, Kansas market. Top FMCSA dimension here is driver fitness, in the 98th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #5 TDR TRANSPORT at $2,200/wk, #6 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #8 SCHMUHL BROTHERS INC at $2,437/wk, #9 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #10 JS HELWIG & SON LLC at $1,850/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Topeka, Kansas
Of active CDL postings in Topeka, Kansas this month, 14% are regional and 84% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 2%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Topeka, Kansas postings; dedicated routes at 23%; take-truck-home at 83%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 67% and riders-allowed at 68%.
Topeka, Kansas vs Kansas: the numbers that diverge
| Topeka, Kansas | Kansas top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pet-friendly fleets | 80% | 72% | +8 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 88% | 80% | +8 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
Topeka, Kansas's biggest divergence from Kansas is on pet-friendly fleets, 8 points above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Kansas
Kansas freight moves on the I-70 east-west transcontinental corridor and I-35 north-south, with the Kansas City metro (split with MO) as the regional hub. Wheat, beef, and grain dominate outbound loads, especially in summer harvest season. Wichita aerospace and manufacturing adds steady industrial freight. Kansas has a moderate graduated state income tax; cost of living runs near the bottom of the US distribution. Western Kansas is genuinely remote — long stretches between fuel stops on I-70 west of Salina — and tornado season (April-June) shapes route planning each spring.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Topeka, Kansas
- CDL driver salary in Topeka, Kansas
- Best trucking companies in Kansas
How we compile these rankings
Compensation (30%): pay percentile + sign-on bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement frequency. FMCSA safety (25%): weighted percentile across vehicle maintenance, unsafe driving, hours-of-service, driver fitness, and controlled substances. Benefits (25%): hiring-type-aware. Operational (20%): driver-application responsiveness, modulated by fleet scale. Updated September 2026.