Best Trucking Companies in Minnesota to Work For in 2026

Finding the best trucking companies in Minnesota starts with understanding the scale of the market. The state has 65,500 trucking companies and 143,180 trucking jobs. With 16 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the state and the Twin Cities sitting at the crossroads of I-94 and I-35, freight demand here isn't slowing down. The industry is projected to grow 6% through 2032, faster than the 4% national average.

The problem isn't finding a trucking job in Minnesota. The problem is finding the right one. Pay ranges from $37,000 at an Amazon DSP to $110,000+ at Sysco or UPS. Benefits range from nothing to full health, dental, pension, and 401(k) match. Some companies get you home every night. Others have you out for weeks.

This guide ranks the best trucking companies in Minnesota across every category: LTL, regional, food distribution, specialty, and non-CDL box truck. Every company includes real pay data, Glassdoor ratings, and honest assessments of what drivers actually say. We also cover what to look for, what to avoid, and how to check any company's safety record before you apply.

How We Ranked the Best Trucking Companies in Minnesota

We evaluated companies on six factors that matter most to drivers:

1. Pay transparency: Real salary data, not "competitive pay" claims
2. Benefits quality: Health, dental, 401(k), PTO starting timeline
3. Home time: Daily, weekly, or bi-weekly home schedules
4. Equipment: Average fleet age and truck condition
5. Driver satisfaction: Glassdoor and Indeed ratings from actual drivers
6. Career growth: Training programs, advancement paths, CDL sponsorship

Companies are organized by category because the best company for an OTR CDL driver is completely different from the best company for a non-CDL box truck driver. Find your category and start there.

Best LTL Trucking Companies in Minnesota

LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) carriers consistently offer the highest paying trucking jobs Minnesota has available for CDL drivers. If you're looking for the top trucking companies Minnesota can offer in terms of raw pay, start here. These companies run local pickup-and-delivery routes and regional linehaul, with most drivers home daily or weekly.

Old Dominion Freight Line

• Pay: Line haul average $82,000/year; local P&D drivers $83,000; Class A average $100,000
• Benefits: 401(k) with 30% match on first 6%, health/dental/vision, 7 PTO days at year 1 (14 at year 3)
• Home time: Local drivers home daily; line haul drivers home weekly
• Rating: Line haul drivers rate compensation 4.8/5 on Glassdoor
• Best for: Experienced CDL-A drivers who want top LTL pay and long-term stability. Over 53% of drivers at comparable carriers stay 10+ years.

FedEx Freight

• Pay: Average $42.89/hour ($89,000+/year); $5,000 sign-on bonus for road drivers
• Benefits: Health/dental/vision, 401(k), pension, PTO
• Home time: City drivers home daily; road drivers home weekly
• Glassdoor: 3.7/5 (2,500+ reviews); 68% recommend; compensation rated 3.9/5
• Best for: Drivers who value benefits depth and consistent freight volume. Union presence at some locations adds job security.

XPO

• Pay: $28-$43/hour for truck drivers
• Benefits: Industry-leading benefits starting day one
• Home time: City drivers home daily; line haul drivers variable
• Glassdoor: 3.6/5 (5,800+ reviews); compensation rated 3.9/5
• Best for: Drivers comfortable with physical dock work and long shifts. Fridley terminal has complaints about mandatory 12+ hour days.

Best Regional Carriers Based in Minnesota

If you want to work for Minnesota trucking companies to work for with deep local roots, these are your best options. They offer the community ties and regional knowledge that national carriers can't match.

Koch Trucking (Minneapolis)

• Pay: ~$0.50/mile with $25/stop; take-home varies $600-$1,000+/week
• Fleet: 900+ tractors, 2,000 trailers; modern equipment
• Benefits: PTO starts day 1 (56 hours/year vs industry standard 40), health/dental/vision, 401(k)
• Glassdoor: 3.7/5; 64% recommend
• Best for: Drivers who want a Minnesota-based company with a large fleet and diverse freight options (dry van, reefer, flatbed). Pay can fluctuate month to month.

J&R Schugel Trucking (New Ulm)

• Pay: $50,000-$65,000/year; team drivers earn extra $0.02-$0.05 CPM
• Fleet: 738 power units; 100% employee-owned since 2014 (ESOP)
• Benefits: Health/dental/vision/life, 401(k), ESOP (company-funded equity), paid CDL training, tuition reimbursement
• Indeed/Glassdoor: 3.5/5
• Best for: New drivers who want paid CDL training and long-term wealth building through the ESOP. Being employee-owned means drivers share in company profits.

Long Haul Trucking (Albertville)

• Pay: Up to $75,000/year; average 2,800 miles/week; quarterly performance bonus
• Benefits: Medical (company pays up to full single premium), 401(k) with 50% match on first 6%, PTO
• Glassdoor: 4.1/5; Indeed: 4.0/5
• Best for: Experienced drivers who value no forced dispatch, pet-friendly trucks, and a driver-focused culture. Their Club 94 driver facility includes a 24/7 kitchen, gym, and theater room.

Derek had been driving OTR for a mega carrier out of Texas for two years. The pay was decent but he was home three days a month. When he moved back to Minnesota, he applied to three regional carriers. Long Haul Trucking offered $68,000 with a dedicated lane that got him home every weekend. "The no forced dispatch policy was what sold me," he says. "If I need to be home for something, I tell dispatch and they work around it. At my old company, saying no to a load meant you sat at the bottom of the list for a week."

Best Food and Beverage Distribution Companies in Minnesota

Food distribution pays some of the highest wages in Minnesota trucking, making these among the highest paying trucking companies Minnesota drivers can work for. But the work is physically demanding. These are not sit-and-drive jobs.

Sysco Minnesota

• Pay: Up to $110,000/year including incentive pay; $5,000-$10,000 sign-on bonuses
• Benefits: Health/dental/vision, 401(k), annual raises (85% of employees report getting them)
• Home time: Home every night
• Best for: Physically strong CDL-A drivers who want top pay. You'll hand-unload cases of product at every stop: 700 to 1,000+ cases per shift. Routes start at 3:00 to 5:00 a.m. The money is real, but so is the labor.

US Foods

• Pay: CDL-A drivers $38-$40/hour in Minnesota; truck driver average $71,600/year
• Home time: Home every night
• Best for: Drivers who want LTL-level pay with daily home time. Same physical demands as Sysco. "Great pay and they hire right from school" is a common review, alongside "back-breaking work."

Best Specialty Carriers in Minnesota

Wayne Transports (Rosemount)

• Pay: $52,000-$94,000/year depending on role; dry bulk drivers $1,330-$1,730/week
• Fleet: 700+ trucks, 1,000+ trailers, 12 Midwest locations
• Benefits: $500+ HSA, medical plans, 401(k), life insurance
• Glassdoor: Compensation rated 4.1/5
• Best for: CDL drivers with tanker and HAZMAT endorsements who want specialty pay. Petroleum, asphalt, chemical, and propane hauling pays a premium over dry van.

Kivi Bros Trucking (Duluth)

• Pay: $55,000-$70,000/year
• Benefits: Health/dental/life, 401(k), paid CDL training, safety and sign-on bonuses
• Indeed: 4.0/5; Glassdoor: 3.6/5
• Best for: Drivers interested in flatbed work. Strong training program for drivers new to flatbed hauling.

Best Non-CDL Box Truck Companies in Minnesota

This category is invisible in every other "best trucking companies" list, yet it represents some of the best non CDL trucking companies Minnesota has to offer. But non-CDL box truck driving is one of the fastest-growing segments in Minnesota, driven by e-commerce distribution and middle mile logistics. If you don't have a CDL, these are your best options.

Peak Transport (Twin Cities Metro)

• Pay: $20-$28/hour depending on route type and experience; middle mile routes pay at the top of the range
• Benefits: W-2 positions with full health, dental, vision, 401(k), PTO
• Home time: Home every night; local routes within the Twin Cities metro
• Training: Employer-paid training including pallet jack certification; no experience required for entry-level positions
• CDL requirement: None. Standard Class D license with DOT medical card
• Best for: Non-CDL drivers who want W-2 positions with benefits and a clear path to advancement. Positions available in Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park, Shakopee, Eagan, and surrounding cities.

For a full breakdown of what you need to get started, see our box truck driver requirements guide.

Amazon DSP Partners (Shakopee, Lakeville, Eagan)

• Pay: $18-$25/hour
• Benefits: Varies by DSP owner (some offer health/401k, others minimal)
• Home time: Home every night
• Training: 3-5 days of paid training
• CDL requirement: None
• Best for: Drivers who need to start fast (1-2 week hiring process). 150-200+ stops per day in a branded van. Quality varies significantly by DSP owner. Good entry point, but most drivers move on within 6-12 months for better-paying non-CDL positions.

How to Evaluate Any Trucking Company Before You Apply

Whether you're comparing trucking companies in the Twin Cities or statewide, don't take a company's word for it. Here's how to verify their claims.

Check Their Safety Record

Every trucking company's safety data is public. Search any carrier at FMCSA SAFER by company name or DOT number. Look at out-of-service rates, crash history, and insurance status. A company with high out-of-service rates is running poorly maintained equipment.

Read Driver Reviews (Carefully)

Check Glassdoor and Indeed, but read reviews critically. One angry review doesn't mean much. A pattern of 20 drivers complaining about the same issue (pay inaccuracy, forced dispatch, equipment problems) tells you something real. Pay attention to reviews from the past 12 months, not five years ago.

Ask the Right Questions at the Interview

During your truck driver interview, ask: What's the average driver tenure? What's the pay structure in writing? Is this W-2 or 1099? What's the equipment age? What happens if I need a day off? Vague answers are red flags.

Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away

• Lease-purchase programs with balloon payments: The most common trap in trucking. The company profits whether you succeed or fail.
• Constantly hiring with huge sign-on bonuses: Signals high turnover and desperation, not generosity.
• "Competitive pay" with no numbers: If they won't tell you the rate, it's because you won't like it.
• No benefits or 1099 only: You're paying both sides of FICA and buying your own insurance.
• Requiring you to pay for your own drug test, DOT physical, or orientation: Reputable companies cover these costs.
• Equipment older than 5 years with visible deferred maintenance: If the trucks look bad in the parking lot, they're worse on the road.

Keisha had been driving for a carrier that advertised "$80,000+ first year." After 11 months, she'd earned $52,000. The per-mile rate was accurate, but the company consistently under-dispatched, giving her 1,800 miles per week instead of the 2,500 the recruiter promised. She checked the company's Glassdoor reviews after she left and found 15 other drivers reporting the same gap between promised and actual miles. "I should have read the reviews before I signed," she says. "The pay rate was real. The miles weren't."

Minnesota Trucking Salary Comparison Table

Here's what the best trucking companies in Minnesota actually pay, organized by category.

Category	Company Examples	Annual Pay Range	CDL Required?
LTL (top tier)	Old Dominion, FedEx Freight	$80,000-$100,000+	Yes (Class A)
Food distribution	Sysco, US Foods	$80,000-$110,000	Yes (Class A)
Premium fleet	Walmart Private Fleet	$87,500-$98,000	Yes (Class A)
Regional carrier	Koch, Long Haul, J&R Schugel	$55,000-$80,000	Yes (Class A)
Specialty (tanker/flatbed)	Wayne Transports, Kivi Bros	$55,000-$94,000	Yes + endorsements
Non-CDL box truck (experienced)	Peak Transport, food distributors	$45,000-$58,000	No
Non-CDL box truck (entry)	Amazon DSP, couriers	$37,000-$45,000	No

These figures reflect the best trucking jobs Minnesota offers across each segment. Salaries run 5-10% above the national average for most categories, driven by the Twin Cities' concentration of distribution centers and Fortune 500 logistics operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the highest paying trucking company in Minnesota?

Sysco Minnesota and UPS (Teamsters) offer the highest total compensation, with drivers earning $95,000 to $110,000+ annually. However, Sysco requires heavy physical labor and UPS top rates require 4+ years of seniority. For non-CDL drivers, experienced box truck positions on middle mile routes pay $45,000 to $58,000.

How many trucking companies are in Minnesota?

Minnesota has approximately 65,500 trucking companies, ranging from single-owner-operator operations to large carriers with hundreds of trucks. The state has 143,180 trucking jobs with 6% projected growth through 2032.

What trucking companies in Minnesota hire with no experience?

Several Minnesota carriers hire entry-level drivers. J&R Schugel offers paid CDL training. Amazon DSPs hire non-CDL drivers with no commercial experience. Regional carriers like Peak Transport hire non-CDL box truck drivers and provide all training on the job. See our guide on getting hired with no experience.

Are trucking companies in Minnesota hiring right now?

Yes. There are many trucking companies hiring in Minnesota right now. The BLS projects 237,600 annual truck driver openings nationally through 2034. Minnesota's 6% growth rate exceeds the national average. The driver shortage means most companies listed in this guide are actively hiring year-round.

How do I check a trucking company's safety record?

Search any company at FMCSA SAFER using their name or DOT number. Review out-of-service rates, crash history, and insurance status. Also check CSA scores at csa.fmcsa.dot.gov for detailed safety performance data across seven categories.

Find the Right Company for You

The best trucking companies in Minnesota aren't one-size-fits-all. The best company for you depends on what you value: maximum pay, daily home time, career growth, or getting started without a CDL.

If you want top dollar and don't mind physical work, Sysco and the major LTL carriers pay $80,000 to $110,000+. If you want stability and a Minnesota-based employer, Koch, Long Haul, and J&R Schugel are strong regional options. If you want to start driving without a CDL, the best box truck companies in Minnesota get you earning immediately with a path to advancement.

Peak Transport is hiring non-CDL box truck drivers across the Twin Cities with W-2 pay, full benefits, employer-paid training, and home-nightly schedules. Browse open positions and apply today.