Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Waukegan, Illinois (May 2026)
Lanefinder is tracking 459 W2 trucking carriers in Waukegan, Illinois (May 2026). KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/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 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 Waukegan, Illinois 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 Waukegan, Illinois this month on the composite ranking. KEEP TRUCKING LLC's weekly pay ranks in the 95th percentile across Waukegan, Illinois. KEEP TRUCKING LLC ranks in the 88th percentile for controlled-substances compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. KEEP TRUCKING LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. pays above the 92nd percentile on weekly pay for the Waukegan, Illinois market. 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.
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's weekly pay ranks in the 95th percentile across Waukegan, Illinois. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC's FMCSA score is strongest on unsafe-driving avoidance — 94th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 Covenant Transport Inc at $1,762/wk, #5 OMAHA TRACK INC at $2,000/wk, #6 Great Plains Trucking Inc. at $1,750/wk, #7 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #8 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk, #9 CUSTOM COMMODITIES TRANSPORT at $1,750/wk, #10 Badger Express LLC at $1,700/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Waukegan, Illinois
23% of Waukegan, Illinois's active CDL postings are regional and 65% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (12%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% 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 | 33% | 44% | -11 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 92% | 85% | +7 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
The largest gap is on sign-on bonus availability: Waukegan, Illinois sits 11 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 May 2026.