Updated May 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (May 2026)
For W2 company drivers in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Lanefinder tracks 318 carriers as of May 2026. KEEP TRUCKING LLC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. True Transport Inc. follows at $2,250/week. Pennsylvania freight flows on the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76 / I-78 / I-80) through the state's industrial core, with Port of Philadelphia handling petroleum and bulk cargo and a dense manufacturing base in Pittsburgh and the Lehigh Valley.
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 Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 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 tops the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. KEEP TRUCKING LLC sits in the 95th percentile for weekly pay among Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania carriers. KEEP TRUCKING LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on controlled-substances compliance — 88th percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags KEEP TRUCKING LLC as a responsive employer.
#2True Transport Inc. — $2,250/wk
True Transport Inc. pays above the 92nd percentile on weekly pay for the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania market. On unsafe-driving avoidance, the carrier ranks in the 99th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
True Transport Inc. actually pays more weekly than the top-ranked carrier — $2,250/week.
#3JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC's weekly pay ranks in the 95th percentile across Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Top FMCSA dimension here is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 94th percentile.
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 Maumee Express, Inc. at $1,925/wk, #8 INSULATION COMPANY OF AMERICA LLC at $2,000/wk, #9 ECM ENERGY SERVICES INC at $1,950/wk, #10 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
The route mix in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania this month tilts OTR: 25% regional, 70% OTR, 3% local, 3% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 26% dedicated, 77% take-truck-home, 62% pet-friendly, 61% riders-allowed.
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania vs Pennsylvania: the numbers that diverge
| Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated routes | 27% | 38% | -11 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 75% | 66% | +9 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
The largest gap is on dedicated routes: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania sits 11 points below the Pennsylvania baseline.
Driving CDL in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is one of the most operationally complex CDL markets in the country. The PA Turnpike runs east-west across the state and serves much of the Northeast freight backbone, but the tolls add up — most fleets factor PA toll cost into route decisions. Winter in the Allegheny passes is the real operational variable: ice and snow on I-80 between Bloomsburg and DuBois is a frequent issue from December through March. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia anchor very different lane profiles — Pittsburgh leans industrial and steel, Philadelphia leans port and pharmaceutical. PA has a low flat state income tax compared to neighboring NY and NJ.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
- CDL driver salary in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
- Best trucking companies in Pennsylvania
How we compile these rankings
Compensation is the largest single weight at 30% — pay percentile, sign-on bonus, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement cadence. FMCSA safety contributes 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions with unsafe-driving and hours-of-service weighted 2× heavier. Benefits contribute 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator and 1099 carriers. Operational performance — application responsiveness and fleet scale — contributes 20%. Updated May 2026.