Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Waterloo, Iowa (May 2026)
Waterloo, Iowa has 338 active W2 trucking carriers as of May 2026. The carriers ranked below are scored on real driver pay, FMCSA safety, benefits, and how they treat applicants. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. Iowa freight is shaped by its agricultural output — corn, soybeans, and ethanol — moving on I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south, with Des Moines serving as the primary distribution crossroads.
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 Waterloo, Iowa 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 Waterloo, Iowa this month on the composite ranking. KEEP TRUCKING LLC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Waterloo, Iowa carriers. KEEP TRUCKING LLC's top FMCSA dimension is controlled-substances compliance, in the 88th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Waterloo, Iowa.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. sits in the 97th percentile for weekly pay among Waterloo, Iowa carriers. True Transport Inc.'s top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 99th percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags True Transport Inc. as a responsive employer.
True Transport Inc. doesn't top the ranking but offers higher weekly pay than #1 — $2,250/week.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Waterloo, Iowa carriers. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC ranks in the 94th percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on 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 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #7 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #8 KOTTKE TRUCKING INC at $2,000/wk, #9 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk, #10 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Waterloo, Iowa
16% of Waterloo, Iowa's active CDL postings are regional and 83% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (1%).
Across Waterloo, Iowa CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 23% dedicated, 84% take-truck-home, 68% pet-friendly, 70% riders-allowed.
How Waterloo, Iowa compares to Iowa
| Waterloo, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riders-allowed policies | 86% | 75% | +11 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 80% | 71% | +9 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Waterloo, Iowa's biggest divergence from Iowa is on riders-allowed policies, 11 points above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Iowa
Iowa freight is shaped by the state's agricultural output — corn, soybeans, ethanol, pork — moving on the I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south corridors. Des Moines serves as the primary distribution crossroads. Cedar Rapids and Davenport (Quad Cities) add manufacturing and food-processing freight. Iowa runs a moderate graduated state income tax; living costs are among the lowest in the Midwest. Winter is severe — wind off the prairie plus drifting snow plus black ice on I-80 makes route timing genuinely consequential from December through March.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Waterloo, Iowa
- CDL driver salary in Waterloo, Iowa
- Best trucking companies in Iowa
The methodology behind the rankings
Pay carriers against each other within the same market (30%). Layer a weighted FMCSA SAFER safety percentile on top (25%). Score the benefits package against what actually matters for the hiring type — W2 health/financial benefits or owner-op operational perks (25%). Finish with operational performance: responsiveness to driver applications plus fleet scale (20%). All percentiles are recomputed monthly. Updated May 2026.