Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Wilmington, North Carolina (September 2026)
There are 272 W2 trucking carriers currently posting jobs in Wilmington, North Carolina. The ranking below reflects active jobs as of September 2026, not historical pay surveys. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. Covenant Transport Inc follows at $1,762/week. North Carolina freight moves on I-85 through the Charlotte-to-Raleigh-Durham manufacturing corridor and I-95 north-south, with Port of Wilmington handling containerized exports and a large furniture and textiles production base.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
How Wilmington, North Carolina compares to North Carolina
| Wilmington, North Carolina | North Carolina top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riders-allowed policies | 88% | 72% | +16 pt |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 80% | 70% | +10 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 26% | 32% | -6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
The largest gap is on riders-allowed policies: Wilmington, North Carolina sits 16 points above the North Carolina baseline.
Where CDL pay is strongest in Wilmington, North Carolina this month
The top of the list is JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC tops the Wilmington, North Carolina ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC's weekly pay ranks in the 95th percentile across Wilmington, North Carolina. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC ranks in the 93rd percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data.
#2Covenant Transport Inc — $1,762/wk
Covenant Transport Inc ranks in the 99th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data.
#3PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC — $1,750/wk
PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC's top FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance, in the 98th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 Maumee Express, Inc. at $1,925/wk, #5 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk, #6 JS HELWIG & SON LLC at $1,850/wk, #7 True Transport Inc. at $2,250/wk, #8 G-DIAMOND TRANSPORT INC at $2,045/wk, #9 CUSTOM TRANSPORT INC at $2,500/wk, #10 ELBERTA LOGISTICS INTERNATIONAL LLC at $2,000/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Wilmington, North Carolina
21% of Wilmington, North Carolina's active CDL postings are regional and 78% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (1%).
Across Wilmington, North Carolina CDL postings: 3% with guaranteed pay, 26% dedicated, 82% take-truck-home, 70% pet-friendly, 69% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in North Carolina
North Carolina CDL work spans a broad mix — port-and-container out of Wilmington and Morehead City, manufacturing in the Triangle (Raleigh-Durham), distribution and textile freight around Charlotte, and tobacco / agricultural loads from the eastern half of the state. The driver-experience profile is generally favorable: moderate winters, no significant mountain work outside the western tip, and a cost of living well below the national average even in the metro areas. State income tax is flat and moderate. I-85 between Greensboro and Charlotte is one of the busier Southeast freight lanes; weekday congestion through Greensboro is a planning variable. NC is one of the better states for a new CDL driver to build experience without immediately running mountains or severe weather.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Wilmington, North Carolina
- CDL driver salary in Wilmington, North Carolina
- Best trucking companies in North Carolina
How we compile these rankings
The composite score is 30% compensation, 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits, and 20% operational performance. Pay percentiles are computed against carriers currently hiring in each market; FMCSA percentiles come from SAFER and weight unsafe-driving and hours-of-service violations 2× heavier than the other three dimensions. Updated September 2026.