Best trucking companies to start out with

Thinking of starting a career in the trucking industry?

Are you a seasoned driver looking to make a fresh start with a new employer? Just like any other industry, some trucking companies offer better opportunities, perks and compensation than others.

We’ve rounded up the best companies to work for based on compensation, home time and perks.

How Much Do Truck Drivers Make?

First thing’s first, let’s talk about how much you can expect to earn as a driver.

On average, truckers make about $59,158 per year (July 2021 update). But this amount may be lower or higher depending on the company you work for, your location and your experience.

The highest paying trucking companies tend to be located in areas with high living costs, like New York. Aside from New York, some of the highest paying states for truckers include Mississippi and West Virginia.

Part of the reason why truckers are paid so well in these states is that they’re required to maneuver tough terrain.

Trucking Company Pay Rankings

#1) GP Transco

Best trucking companies to start out with

A 2019 addition to our Top Rated list, GP Transco embodies what it means to respect and care for your drivers. 

With one of the best benefits packages in the industry, it is no surprise that they stand apart in terms of having the lowest driver turnover in the industry.

And for good reason, with an average base salary of $84,000 per year, you can have a true lifetime career with GP Transco.

How did they come so far so fast? 

Their GP lead recruiter, John Alverez is “one of the guys.” He worked as an OTR driver for 30 years prior to becoming a recruiter, so he knows how the industry works. John knows that truckers sacrifice a lot for their careers.

He has established a protocol within the company that offers transparency and honest pay.

If you’re going to be away from your family, driving across the country, you deserve pay that rewards you for your time.

#2 Barr-Nunn

Best trucking companies to start out with

Barr-Nunn are one of the more transparent companies in the industry. They continue to evolve and improve their pay options for drivers while maintaining their growth and company culture.

After 17 years in the industry, Barr Nunn’s commitment to truckers changed to offer some of the best rates in the industry. Their pay has been updated to be:

  • $0.71 for top, regional north fleet
  • $0.06 additional per mile for solo and team drivers in 2022

Barr Nunn team truck driving jobs also pay an exceptional top rate of $0.89 to $0.92 per mile.

They have introduced a new shift load pay option that lets drivers choose a more stable, reliable income versus the traditional per mile structure.

With Shift + Load Pay, drivers worry less about the ups and downs of mileage pay.

With that said, they still offer traditional, per mile pay for truckers as well. That ability to choose the payment method that they prefer is a great option.

Shift-load pay offers up to $355 per day and in 2022, due to the driver shortage, you’ll earn an additional $10 per Shift.

#3 Walmart Trucking

Best trucking companies to start out with
© Walmart

Technically speaking, Walmart isn’t a trucking company.

But they do have their own private fleet – and they pay their drivers very well.  In fact, they recently announced plans to pay their drivers up to $90k per year for 2019 to recruit and hire the best of the best.

The average full-time driver in Walmart’s private fleet earns $86,000 per year working 5.5 days a week.

Walmart will pay for activity, mileage and training too. Plus, you’ll receive a quarterly safe driving bonus.

When driving for Walmart, you’ll get home once a week, and you’ll get reset hours off the road. But that’s not even the best part – Walmart drivers don’t load or unload freight. And you’ll get benefits starting your very first day.

Walmart’s benefits include:

  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Pharmacy
  • Life

You’ll also have the opportunity to enroll in a 401(k) plan as well as a stock purchase plan.

Walmart’s private fleet is one of the best flatbed trucking companies you can work for. But there is a catch – you’ll need to have some experience to be considered for hire.

Here’s what Walmart requires:

  • At least 30 months of full-time experience working with a Class A tractor/trailer in the last 3 years.
  • Interstate Class A CDL with Hazmat endorsement, or obtain Hazmat endorsement within 60 days of receiving a job offer.
  • No serious traffic violations while operating a commercial motor vehicle within the last three years.
  • No more than 2 moving violations while operating a commercial or personal motor vehicle within the last 3 years.
  • No convictions for an OUI, DUI or DWI, or reckless driving involving drugs or alcohol within the last 10 years.

These are just a few of Walmart’s driver requirements. If you have experience and follow the laws of the road, you should have no problem being considered for a position as a driver.

Walmart has one of the lowest turnover rates in the country. The number one reason why drivers leave is because they’re retiring.

#4 Epes Transport

Best trucking companies to start out with

One of the larger regional carriers in the South and Southeast, Epes Transport, has grown over time with many successful mergers.   They offer a competitive wage for drivers willing to put in the hours. 

Epes offers regional driver jobs and also hires owner-operators looking to take control of their careers.

They offer a competitive benefits package that includes matching 401(k), medical, dental and vision insurance, life & disability insurance options, spouse support program, scholarships, etc…

If you are looking to start out in the Carolina’s, Epes is a great place to break into the industry.

#7 Anderson Trucking Service (ATS)

Best trucking companies to start out with

ATS offers many different employment opportunities to both owner-operators and those who wish to become a company driver.  Anderson offers flatbed, vans, heavy haul and specialized haul. They offer specialized training classes are also available, so truckers can choose the right division for them.

While the company is not ideal for new drivers as they do no have their own CDL training program, they do offer some of the highest pay rates in the trucking industry for those ready to hit the road.

ATS offers excellent medical insurance and employee benefits that kick in after 60 days of continuous full-time employment. With low deductibles and affordable weekly payments, many truckers join ATS just for the company’s benefits.

Company drivers start out making $.48cpm, while owner-operators earn $180,000 on average.

#8) Brady Trucking

Best trucking companies to start out with

The Brady Trucking company has been providing trucking services for more than three decades and is considered one of the most reliable truckload carriers in the Midwest and Southwest United States.

They own and operate more than 250 Peterbilt trucks and over 300 trailers throughout the Rocky Mountain region. 

With exclusive contracts in the oilfield transport industry, they can keep you close to home and offer very competitive pay.

Brady takes a different approach to pay and they generally do not pay by the mile or hourly.

Instead, Brady drivers earn a portion of their truck’s revenue- they pay drivers a percentage of the loads hauled. 

Best trucking companies to start out with

#10 DOT Transportation

Dot Transportation is the largest food redistributor in North America.

The company has partnered with 1,100 manufacturers and has served more than 4,700 customers in the less-than-truckload (LTL) category.  Dot Foods offers driving opportunities across the U.S in all 50 states.

DOT has a fleet of 1,300 trucks and home time is a priority for them.  

They will only hire drivers who are within 100 miles of one of their locations.  The good news is that they have regional distribution centers and terminals all over the US.

Be prepared to do some work though, most loads require loading and unloading.

#12 Trimac Transportation

Best trucking companies to start out with

Trimac hauls a variety of products, including: food, chemicals, dry bulk, oilfield, petroleum, industrial gases and resource commodities.   That gives truck drivers many paths to a rewarding career. 

For owner-operators, Trimac offers one of the higher median rates we have seen- $233k per year.

#16 Sysco

Our former number one rated company in 2020. They still offer great pay, routes and benefits. 

Food distribution is a huge part of the industry and the king of national food distribution is Sysco.  With bonuses, you can earn over $87k annually at Sysco.

The perks don’t stop with just money either. When working for Sysco, drivers are often able to be on 100% local routes, making it a desirable company for truckers that have a family.

Daily routes are offered, and this leads to most routes allowing truckers nightly home time.

Beyond increased home time, they offer a very competitive benefits package that goes beyond the usual industry standards.  With company stock discounts, paid vacations and holidays, retirement plans, etc…

They are also responsive to their driving team and make an active effort and improving driving morale and efficiency.

Other Great Trucking Companies To Consider Beyond Just Pay

While we focus mostly on truck driving jobs with the best-earning potential we realize that take home pay is not everything.   For some drivers, home time and short routes may be the priority.  For others, it may be a paid cdl training program that helps them get their CDL license.

With that said, lets look at some other options. 

#70 Acme Trucking

Best trucking companies to start out with

Acme Truck Line has more than 2,900 trucks and operates in seven states. The company hauls more than 9,000 truckloads of freight each week, so you’re sure to have steady work. But unlike other trucking companies, Acme doesn’t actually own a fleet of trucks. They use leased equipment only.

Acme has a reputation for always paying on time. You haul one week and get paid the next. The company also offers debit cards and direct deposit for convenient pay. Cash advances and fuel cards are also available as well as affordable physical and bobtail damage insurance.

Drivers can also participate in the 401(k) plan as well as the Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

Job opportunities are available for rookies and experienced drivers alike, and you’ll need to be at least 21 years of age to work for the company. The qualification requirements are fairly simple and straightforward, too, so you won’t have to jump through hoops just to get hired.

Acme is a great trucking company to work for. With excellent benefits, competitive pay and plenty of freight, you’ll find a stable and reliable home at Acme. While they do not offer training like CRST, they do offer job opportunities for rookies.

#98 CRST Trucking

Best trucking companies to start out with

CRST International is another well-known and reputable trucking company that offers job opportunities to both seasoned and rookie drivers.

In fact, CRST has its own trucking schools where students can earn their CDL license.

CRST says it offers job security and stability to its drivers. The company’s teams average more miles than any other trucking company in the industry, and they’ve never had a layoff.

When working with CRST, you’ll be paired with another driver who lives in your area. With the company’s “Train Your Partner” program, your partner could actually be a friend or relative.

You’re also guaranteed home time, so you can still spend much-needed time with your family.

Unlike Walmart, CRST offers opportunities for first-time drivers and competitive pay. Although they are not close to the top in industry  pay, drivers will also receive:

  • $100 towards your Hazmat application
  • A sign-on bonus
  • Upfront pay for orientation, a drug screening and a physical
  • Up to a $500 bonus when you refer a driver and CRST hires him or her
  • Pay for miles both loaded and unloaded

CRST has great benefits too, like twice-a-week paydays and medical coverage from day one of employment. The company offers Blue Shield PPO insurance, which includes vision and dental. Disability and accident insurance is also included as well as life insurance.

Aside from medical benefits, drivers can also enroll in a 401(k) plan 90 days after working. Paid vacations are given and a per diem tax benefit.

One thing that makes CRST unique is their “Shut Down” policy, which lets drivers decide not to run if the weather is bad, they’re tired and overworked, or they’re feeling ill.

At CRST, drivers have the option of working for one of the company’s subsidiaries, including:

  • Temp controlled team service
  • Malone
  • Expedited
  • Specialized Transportation (STI)
  • Dedicated Services
  • BESL

There are driving opportunities for truckers of all experience levels at CRST. And if you haven’t obtained your CDL yet, the company can help you train and earn your license as well.

 

Best trucking companies to start out with

Aside from the top three listed above, other great trucking companies include:

  • JB. Hunt Transportation
  • AAA Cooper Transportation, or ACT
  • United Parcel Service (UPS)
  • Southeastern Freight Lines
  • Arkansas Best
  • Interstate Distributor
  • Crete Carrier
  • Old Dominion Freight Line
  • Trimac Transportation Services
  • Costco

While Costco isn’t in the transportation industry, they do hire drivers to transport their merchandise and handle various other shipping needs. Costco, in general, is an excellent company to work for with great benefits, pay and positive work environment.

Of course, our list is not exhaustive, there are plenty of great trucking companies to work for – and not all of them are big-name.

Local companies may offer benefits and pay that compete with or surpass some of the national names on our list.

Looking for the best paying flatbed companies, check out our list here.

There are plenty of trucking companies out there – but not all of them offer great employment opportunities. The companies on our list offer competitive pay, home time, consistent work and excellent benefits.

Whether you’re just getting started or have been driving for years, you’ll find great employment opportunities at any one of these companies.

What trucking company pays the most for beginners?

Swift Transportation is the highest paying company for rookie drivers. Not only can new truck drivers get their schooling through Swift, they can go right into employment with the company when the schooling and training are complete.

What type of trucking is most profitable?

9 Highest Paying Trucking Jobs.
Ice Road Drivers. ... .
Oversized Load. Salary: $71,442 per year. ... .
Specialty Vehicle Haulers. Salary: $82,099. ... .
Team Drivers. Salary: $96,573. ... .
Private Fleet. Salary: $95,999 - $110,000 per year. ... .
Mining Industry Drivers. Salary: $58,862. ... .
Liquids / Tanker. Salary: $88,024. ... .
Hazmat Drivers. Salary: $65,466..

What type of trucking is most in demand?

7 Truck Driving Jobs That Are Always In Demand.
# 1: DRY VAN DRIVERS. This is a gateway job when you first start out in the trucking industry. ... .
# 2: FLAT BED DRIVERS. ... .
# 3: TANKER DRIVERS. ... .
# 4: REFRIGERATED FREIGHT DRIVERS. ... .
# 5: FREIGHT HAULERS. ... .
# 6: LTL FREIGHT DRIVERS. ... .
# 7: LOCAL, REGIONAL AND OTR DRIVERS..

How much will it cost to start a trucking company?

In summary, starting a owner-operator trucking company in the United States can cost between $100,000 – $200,000. For larger fleets with additional drivers the costs are multipled by the number of trucks in the fleet and an additional $59,925 per driver.