Best Trucking Companies in Illinois
10 top-ranked carriers hiring in Illinois. Compare pay, hiring status, and find the right fit for your driving career.
Illinois Trucking Market Overview
Illinois — specifically Chicago — is the freight capital of North America. More rail tonnage passes through Chicago than any other city on earth, making it the nation's intermodal epicenter. The convergence of six Class I railroads, multiple interstate highways, and O'Hare Airport creates unmatched freight density. LTL carriers, intermodal operators, and dedicated fleets all compete aggressively for drivers in this market.
Top 10 Companies in Illinois
TForce Freight's massive Chicago terminal complex is one of the largest LTL operations in the country with strong Teamsters wages.
XPO's Chicagoland terminal network is a hub for their national LTL operations with home-daily positions and overtime opportunities.
J.B. Hunt's Chicago intermodal operations are the largest in the country, leveraging the city's status as the nation's rail hub.
Schneider runs heavy intermodal, tanker, and dedicated freight through the Chicago gateway with strong training support.
Roadrunner is headquartered near Chicago and offers competitive linehaul pay for drivers running their national LTL network.
Ruan operates dedicated fleet contracts for Illinois food and beverage companies with predictable local routes.
ODFL's Chicago service centers offer industry-leading LTL compensation in one of the most competitive freight markets.
FedEx Freight's extensive Chicagoland operations handle massive freight volume with home-daily city and linehaul positions.
Heartland runs regional lanes through Illinois's I-55, I-57, and I-80 corridors with frequent home time options.
Amazon's massive Chicagoland fulfillment network creates abundant middle-mile CDL positions with competitive hourly pay.
How to read this page. The ranking is our own editorial assessment of how each carrier serves drivers in Illinois, based on the lanes, terminals and freight described in each entry. The pay figure is not ours: heavy and tractor-trailer drivers in Illinois earn an annual mean of $62,430 per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025). That covers employed company drivers statewide — not owner-operators, whom the survey excludes — and individual carriers pay above and below it. We publish no per-carrier salary because we have no source for one, and we do not track live vacancy counts: for what is open today, check the carrier's own careers page.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Trucking in Illinois
What is the best trucking company to work for in Illinois?
Based on our 2026 rankings, TForce Freight (formerly UPS Freight) ranks #1 in Illinois. They earned the top spot because of what they run there: TForce Freight's massive Chicago terminal complex is one of the largest LTL operations in the country with strong Teamsters wages. We do not publish a pay figure per carrier — we have no source for one — so check the carrier's own posting for what the seat pays. The best choice for you depends on your experience level, preferred driving type, and home time needs.
How much do truck drivers make in Illinois?
Heavy and tractor-trailer drivers in Illinois earn an annual mean of $62,430, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025). That is the figure for employed company drivers across the whole state; owner-operators are not in it, because the survey covers employer payrolls only. Individual carriers pay above and below it, and specialised work — tanker, HazMat, oversize — pays more. The state's top industries — Intermodal & Rail, LTL & Distribution, Food & Beverage — shape which kinds of driving pay best.
Which trucking companies should I apply to in Illinois?
Start with the carriers ranked on this page — TForce Freight (formerly UPS Freight), XPO, J.B. Hunt Transport Services and the rest of the list all run real freight in Illinois, and each entry says what it is best suited to. We do not track live vacancy counts for other carriers, so check the company's own careers page for what is open today. If you would rather one conversation than nine applications, send us your details and we will work the list with you.