FMCSA data · updated 2026-10-25
New trucking companies in Illinois, September 2026
522
new motor carriers registered a USDOT number in Illinois in September 2026: -2% on the month before and +5% on September 2025. Illinois ranked #8 of 51 for new carriers.
New carriers each month
Where in Illinois new carriers are based
| City | New carriers |
|---|---|
| Chicago | 73 |
| Aurora | 14 |
| Naperville | 13 |
| Plainfield | 12 |
| Mount Prospect | 11 |
| Wheeling | 10 |
| Skokie | 9 |
| Joliet | 9 |
| Schaumburg | 8 |
| Niles | 8 |
Fleet size and type of operation
62% of the new carriers in Illinois reported a single power unit, and 87% registered for interstate operation. Interstate for-hire carriers need operating authority and must file proof of insurance with FMCSA before their authority becomes active.
| Fleet size | New carriers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 truck | 322 | 62% |
| 2 trucks | 127 | 24% |
| 3–5 trucks | 40 | 8% |
| 6–10 trucks | 17 | 3% |
| 11 or more | 13 | 3% |
Insurance for new trucking companies
Under 49 CFR 387.9, interstate for-hire carriers of general freight must carry at least $750,000 of auto liability, and more for some hazardous materials. New carriers also enter FMCSA’s new entrant safety monitoring period, and insurers usually treat them as new ventures, which raises the price and the down payment.
Insurance for a new trucking authority explains the filings, coverage and costs, and Florin’s trucking page compares options for owner-operators and small fleets.
Method: counts of USDOT numbers added in each calendar month whose entity type includes motor carrier, by physical address state, from the FMCSA Company Census File on data.transportation.gov. Refreshed daily. Registrations are not the same as active operating authority, and FMCSA may update records after they are added. You may reuse these figures with a link to this page.