Updated November 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Wheeling, Illinois (November 2026)
Lanefinder's index counts 453 active W2 trucking carriers in Wheeling, Illinois this November 2026. Herrington Transportation Inc. leads with an average weekly pay of $2,000. FW TRUCKING follows at $1,800/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 November 2026
McLeod Express LLC at #5, SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at #9, and MNS1 EXPRESS INC at #10 are new to the top 50 in Wheeling, Illinois. Biggest climbs: Herrington Transportation Inc. (#38 → #1), FW TRUCKING (#24 → #2), and True Transport Inc. (#18 → #4). Biggest falls: LAWRENCE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (#1 → #26) and Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. (#12 → #22). Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 7 left, and 37 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
Wheeling, Illinois's top trucking carriers right now
The top of the list is Herrington Transportation Inc. at $2,000/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1Herrington Transportation Inc. — $2,000/wk
Herrington Transportation Inc. tops the Wheeling, Illinois ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Herrington Transportation Inc. pays above the 87th percentile on weekly pay for the Wheeling, Illinois market. Herrington Transportation Inc. responds to driver applications more reliably than the Wheeling, Illinois median.
#2FW TRUCKING — $1,800/wk
FW TRUCKING is up from #24 last month, one of the largest jumps in the Wheeling, Illinois ranking. FW TRUCKING ranks in the 90th percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data.
#3HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC — $2,100/wk
HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC pays above the 88th percentile on weekly pay for the Wheeling, Illinois market. HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 99th percentile.
The top sign-on bonus in Wheeling, Illinois's top 10 is HAZMAT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP INC's — $10,000.
Also in the top 10: #4 True Transport Inc. at $2,250/wk, #5 McLeod Express LLC at $1,462/wk, #6 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,950/wk, #7 HandledNow LLC at $1,550/wk, #8 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/wk, #9 SAFE WAY CARRIER LLC at $2,100/wk, #10 MNS1 EXPRESS INC at $2,050/wk.
What Wheeling, Illinois drivers actually run
24% of Wheeling, Illinois's active CDL postings are regional and 63% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (13%).
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 4% of Wheeling, Illinois postings; dedicated routes at 27%; take-truck-home at 73%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 59% and riders-allowed at 59%.
Where Wheeling, Illinois differs from the Illinois baseline
| Wheeling, Illinois | Illinois top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign-on bonus rate | 35% | 41% | -6 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 31% | 41% | -10 pt |
| Take-truck-home | 88% | 82% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Wheeling, Illinois's biggest divergence from Illinois is on dedicated routes, 10 points below the state 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 Wheeling, Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Wheeling, Illinois
- Best trucking companies in Illinois
Where this data comes from
Rankings combine four signals: compensation (30%) including pay percentile, sign-on bonuses, guaranteed pay, and settlement frequency; FMCSA safety (25%); benefits (25%) scored differently for W2 vs owner-operator carriers; and operational performance (20%) measuring employer responsiveness and fleet scale. Recomputed monthly from real active job postings. Updated November 2026.