Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Waterbury, Connecticut (May 2026)
Lanefinder's index counts 249 active W2 trucking carriers in Waterbury, Connecticut this May 2026. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. Connecticut freight moves on I-95 and I-91 / I-84 connecting to the Northeast corridor, with Port of New Haven handling petroleum and heating oil (with breakbulk as a secondary segment) and a dense concentration of aerospace and defense manufacturing.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
The trucking companies leading Waterbury, Connecticut 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 is number-one in Waterbury, Connecticut this month on the composite ranking. KEEP TRUCKING LLC's weekly pay ranks in the 94th percentile across Waterbury, Connecticut. 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. sits in the 97th percentile for weekly pay among Waterbury, Connecticut carriers. True Transport Inc. ranks in the 99th percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data. True Transport Inc. tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
Despite ranking below #1, True Transport Inc. outpays the leader on weekly average — $2,250/week.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC's weekly pay ranks in the 94th percentile across Waterbury, Connecticut. 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 HMD TRUCKING INC at $1,800/wk, #6 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #7 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk, #8 JS HELWIG & SON LLC at $1,850/wk, #9 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk, #10 Safeway Trucking Corporation at $2,250/wk.
What Waterbury, Connecticut drivers actually run
17% of Waterbury, Connecticut's active CDL postings are regional and 74% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (9%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of Waterbury, Connecticut postings; dedicated routes at 23%; take-truck-home at 74%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 60% and riders-allowed at 61%.
Where Waterbury, Connecticut differs from the Connecticut baseline
| Waterbury, Connecticut | Connecticut top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-truck-home | 90% | 84% | +6 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 32% | 27% | +5 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 78% | 73% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Waterbury, Connecticut's biggest divergence from Connecticut is on take-truck-home, 6 points above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Connecticut
Connecticut CDL work is mostly last-mile and short-haul on the dense I-95 / I-91 / I-84 metro grid feeding the Northeast corridor. The Port of New Haven handles breakbulk; aerospace and defense manufacturing (Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, Sikorsky in Stratford, plus RTX-related supplier networks) generate high-value freight. Cost of living is among the highest in the country and state income tax is high. Many drivers based here run out-of-state lanes to keep the math working. Truck-route restrictions on parkways and dense urban congestion make CT one of the higher-overhead states to operate in.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Waterbury, Connecticut
- CDL driver salary in Waterbury, Connecticut
- Best trucking companies in Connecticut
The methodology behind the 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 May 2026.