Despite the challenging operating environment trucking has been dealing with, many fleets have not let that diminish their commitment to a driver-friendly workplace culture.
Online driver training provider CarriersEdge recently honored just such fleets in its 2026 Best Fleets to Drive For, recognizing for-hire trucking companies across North America for outstanding workplace experiences for company drivers and independent contractors.
This year’s Best Fleets winners stood out in a challenging operating environment, said the online driver training provider in an announcement, “demonstrating that operational clarity, consistency, and practical engagement strategies remain critical to sustaining strong fleet cultures.”
A Year of Change for the Best Fleets to Drive For List
The 2026 results brought with them new entrants and changes to the Best Fleets to Drive For list. There were four new fleets making the Top 20 for the first time and one new Hall of Fame winner. Eight of last year’s Hall of Fame fleets requalified this year.
“This was a demanding year for fleets across the industry,” said CarriersEdge CEO Jane Jazrawy in a news release.
“The fleets recognized in the 2026 Best Fleets programs distinguish themselves not by avoiding challenges, but by responding thoughtfully to them.
“Through clear communication and cost-conscious, driver-focused approaches, this year’s Top 20 and Hall of Fame fleets showed that strong cultures can be sustained even in difficult conditions.”
What Does it Take to be a Best Fleet to Drive For?
Do You Have What it Takes to be a ‘Best Fleet to Drive For’?
To be considered for the Best Fleets program, for-hire companies operating 10 or more tractor-trailers must be nominated by a company driver or owner-operator currently working with them.
The fleets are then evaluated across a range of categories, including compensation, benefits, HR strategies, professional development, operations, and work/life balance, among other criteria.
Driver surveys are also conducted to collect input from drivers and independent contractors working with the fleets.
2026 Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For
- America’s Service Line, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- American Central Transport, Kansas City, Missouri
- Brenny Specialized, St. Joseph, Minnesota
- Chief Carriers, Grand Island, Nebraska
- Continental Express, Sidney, Ohio
- Crawford Trucking, Des Moines, Iowa
- Decker Truck Line, Fort Dodge, Iowa
- Fortigo Freight Services, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
- Fremont Contract Carriers, Fremont, Nebraska
- Ippolito Transportation, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
- Joseph Transportation Group, Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada
- K&J Trucking, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Kriska Holdings Limited, Prescott, Ontario, Canada
- Leonard’s Express, Farmington, New York
- Peninsula Truck Lines, Federal Way, Washington
- PGT Trucking, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
- S&H Express, York, Pennsylvania
- Thomas E. Keller Trucking, Defiance, Ohio
- TransLand, Strafford, Missouri
- Williams Dedicated, Michigan City, Indiana
Hall of Fame
Introduced in 2022, the Hall of Fame category honors fleets that have demonstrated sustained excellence over time. To qualify, fleets must be named a Best Fleet for 10 consecutive years, or seven years with at least one overall award. Fleets named to the Hall of Fame must requalify each year.
A new Hall of Fame fleet was added to the list this year: Challenger Motor Freight of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.
The Returning Hall of Fame fleets were:
- Bison Transport, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Boyle Transportation, a UPS Healthcare Company, Billerica, Massachusetts
- FTC Transportation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Garner Trucking, Findley, Ohio
- Halvor Lines, Superior, Wisconsin
- Nussbaum Transportation Services, Hudson, Illinois
- Prime Inc., Springfield, Missouri
- TransPro Freight Systems Limited, Milton, Ontario, Canada
Fleets to Watch
Five Fleets to Watch (honorable mentions) were also identified:
- Arlo G. Lott Trucking, Jerome, Idaho
- Erb Transport Limited, New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada
- GP Transco, Joliet, Illinois
- Quality Carriers Inc., Tampa, Florida
- USXL, Foristell, Missouri
Best Fleet Overall Winners to be Announced in March
More Best Fleets Insights: 3 Things to Focus on to Retain Truck Drivers
From the Top 20, two overall winners will be unveiled, in large and small fleet categories, at the Best Fleets Education & Awards Conference, March 16–17, 2026, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.
CarriersEdge will also present the Stratosphere Award, which recognizes the top-scoring fleet in the Best Fleets Hall of Fame.
In addition to announcing the overall program winners, the Best Fleets Education & Awards Conference will share full details of the data collected during this year’s edition of the program — stats, trends, and innovative programs from all the Top 20 and Hall of Fame fleets.
