Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Waukegan, Illinois (September 2026)
Lanefinder is tracking 451 W2 trucking carriers in Waukegan, Illinois (September 2026). WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads with an average weekly pay of $1,700 and an average $5,000 sign-on bonus. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,750/week. Illinois anchors the US rail and truck network through Chicago, the largest intermodal hub in North America, with I-80 / I-90 / I-55 feeding a dense concentration of manufacturing, warehousing, and cold-chain freight.
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 Waukegan, Illinois this month
The top of the list is WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $1,700/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC — $1,700/wk
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC is number-one in Waukegan, Illinois this month on the composite ranking. Top FMCSA dimension here is driver fitness, in the 93rd percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,750/wk
FW TRUCKING's FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 92nd percentile. FW TRUCKING tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#3HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC — $2,100/wk
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC sits in the 94th percentile for weekly pay among Waukegan, Illinois carriers. HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 99th percentile.
The top sign-on bonus in Waukegan, Illinois's top 10 is HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC's — $10,000.
Also in the top 10: #4 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #5 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #6 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #7 TDR TRANSPORT at $2,200/wk, #8 OMAHA TRACK INC at $2,000/wk, #9 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #10 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Waukegan, Illinois
24% of Waukegan, Illinois's active CDL postings are regional and 64% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (12%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 3% of Waukegan, Illinois postings; dedicated routes at 26%; take-truck-home at 75%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 61% and riders-allowed at 61%.
Where Waukegan, Illinois differs from the Illinois baseline
| Waukegan, Illinois | Illinois top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 37% | 43% | -6 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 73% | 67% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
The largest gap is on sign-on bonus availability: Waukegan, Illinois sits 6 points below the Illinois baseline.
Driving CDL in Illinois
Illinois is one of the most strategically located CDL states — Chicago is the largest US intermodal rail hub, so a huge percentage of national freight passes through. The metro lanes pay well but congestion on I-80, I-90, and I-294 is consistent enough to be a real income variable. Outside the Chicago metro, downstate Illinois looks much more like Iowa or Indiana — agricultural freight, less density, easier driving. State income tax is moderate. The winter operational profile is severe: lake-effect snow, road salt, and the freezing-thawing cycle eat equipment faster than most southern states.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Waukegan, Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Waukegan, Illinois
- Best trucking companies in Illinois
Where this data comes from
Carriers are scored against carriers in their own market. The composite is 30% compensation (pay + bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement cadence), 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits (W2 vs owner-op scoring), and 20% operational performance (responsiveness + fleet scale). No paid placement — the weights are the same for every carrier in the index. Updated September 2026.