Short answer
Missouri had 3,531 trucking establishments with paid employees in 2023, employing 42,098 people on a $2.45 billion payroll (Census County Business Patterns), 15th among states. FMCSA's register lists 14,549 active for-hire property carriers with a Missouri address; about 23.1% list grain, feed or hay in their registrations. The largest registered fleet is New Prime (Prime Inc) in Springfield, with 7,919 power units in SAFER. Missouri requires an annual $10 regulatory license for each vehicle a motor carrier operates.
- Missouri has 3,531 trucking establishments with 42,098 employees, 11.9 per location.
- Greene (Springfield) and Jasper (Joplin) counties have 7.9% of establishments but 26.2% of trucking jobs.
- Specialized freight carriers employ 34.3% of Missouri's trucking workforce.
- About 23.1% of for-hire carriers list grain, feed or hay and 18.1% dry bulk, reflecting farm freight.
- Under RSMo 390.136, motor carriers need an annual $10 regulatory license for each vehicle they operate.
On this page
This report is for Missouri shippers and co-ops booking trucks, drivers comparing the big Ozarks carriers with local fleets, and companies that sell to trucking businesses: trailer and truck dealers, insurers, fuel and tire suppliers, maintenance shops and recruiters. Kansas City has its own report, trucking companies in Kansas City.
Missouri trucking in Census data
County Business Patterns 2023, NAICS 484 (Truck Transportation), state of Missouri:
| Measure (2023) | Missouri |
|---|---|
| Establishments | 3,531 |
| Employees (week of March 12) | 42,098 |
| Annual payroll | $2,450,221,000 |
| Average employees per establishment | 11.9 |
| Average annual pay | $58,203 |
| Share of US establishments | 2.07% of 170,286 |
| Rank among states by establishments | 15th |
| Employees per establishment | Establishments |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 2,445 |
| 5 to 9 | 397 |
| 10 to 19 | 294 |
| 20 to 49 | 249 |
| 50 to 99 | 86 |
| 100 to 249 | 39 |
| 250 to 499 | 18 |
| 500 to 999 | Not published |
| 1,000 or more | Not published |
The Census Bureau doesn't publish the two largest classes for Missouri; the published ones add up to 3,528, so three establishments have 500 or more employees. In broader bands, 3,136 have 1 to 19 employees, 335 have 20 to 99 and 60 have 100 or more (that last figure is the total less the smaller bands).
| Type of trucking (NAICS) | Establishments | Employees | Employees per site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-distance truckload (484121) | 1,347 | 15,405 | 11.4 |
| Local general freight (484110) | 734 | 4,895 | 6.7 |
| Specialized local freight (484220) | 681 | 3,973 | 5.8 |
| Specialized long-distance (484230) | 364 | 8,222 | 22.6 |
| Less-than-truckload (484122) | 234 | 7,370 | 31.5 |
| Household and office moving (484210) | 171 | 2,233 | 13.1 |
Specialized freight (NAICS 4842: tank, bulk, flatbed, refrigerated and moving) employs 14,428 people, 34.3% of the total. These are establishments with paid employees, not companies; owner-operators without staff aren't counted, and a carrier's head office may be classified outside trucking.
St. Louis, Kansas City and the Ozarks
| County | Establishments | Employees | Employees per establishment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County | 484 | 4,966 | 10.3 |
| Jackson (Kansas City) | 278 | 3,737 | 13.4 |
| Greene (Springfield) | 207 | 6,884 | 33.3 |
| St. Charles | 152 | 2,187 | 14.4 |
| St. Louis city | 129 | 3,257 | 25.2 |
| Clay (Kansas City north) | 122 | 2,099 | 17.2 |
| Christian (south of Springfield) | 90 | Not reported (high-noise figure) | Not reported |
| Jasper (Joplin) | 73 | 4,128 | 56.5 |
Greene County employs more trucking workers than St. Louis County from fewer than half as many establishments, and Jasper County averages 56.5 employees per establishment. Christian County's employment was published but flagged as high-noise (the confidentiality noise changed it by 5% or more), so we leave it out.
The largest registered fleets
No SEC-listed trucking company has a Missouri business address in the data we matched. The register, checked in SAFER snapshots as of 28 October 2026, shows the big private carriers:
| Carrier (SAFER legal name) | City | Power units | Drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Prime Inc (Prime Inc) | Springfield | 7,919 | 9,070 |
| Hogan Dedicated Services LLC | Bridgeton | 1,542 | 1,768 |
| Tri-National LLC | Saint Charles | 831 | 1,090 |
| Mayflower Transit LLC (household goods) | St. Louis | 769 | 1,472 |
| Western Dairy Transport LLC | Cabool | 563 | 632 |
| Wilson Logistics Inc | Strafford | 399 | 507 |
| Certified Express Inc | Neosho | 282 | 294 |
Shippers' own fleets with for-hire authority are just as large: Ferrellgas in Liberty lists 2,784 power units, Hiland Dairy Foods in Springfield 1,437 and OAP Transportation (O'Reilly Auto Parts) in Springfield 919. For listed carriers nationally, see the largest trucking companies.
What Missouri carriers haul
FMCSA's Company Census File (updated 29 October 2026), active for-hire property carriers with at least one power unit and a Missouri address:
| FMCSA measure | Missouri |
|---|---|
| For-hire property carriers | 14,549 |
| Interstate | 8,752 (60.2%) |
| Intrastate only | 5,797 |
| One power unit | 8,486 (58.3%) |
| 2 to 9 power units | 5,028 |
| 10 or more power units | 1,035 |
| MCS-150 updated since 30 October 2024 | 8,943 (61.5%) |
| Hazardous materials flag | 1,832 (12.6%) |
| Private fleets only | 8,031 |
Carriers tick every cargo they say they carry. Beyond general freight (70.3%) and building materials or construction (32.7%, one combined figure, because FMCSA's open-data file records the two categories identically), Missouri's lists are agricultural and industrial: grain, feed or hay 23.1%, large machinery 19.3%, dry bulk 18.1%, logs and lumber 15.1%, metal sheets and coils 14.9% and livestock 7.3%. The figures are self-reported, some records are stale and FMCSA's open-data file doesn't always match a carrier's own SAFER record, so treat these shares as indicative: use them to find carriers and SAFER to check them.
Missouri's license and certificates
Missouri law adds two state requirements on top of the federal ones:
- Regulatory license. Under RSMo 390.136, a motor carrier may not operate a vehicle without a regulatory license from the state highways and transportation commission, at $10 per vehicle per year (a carrier pulling trailers can license the tractor or the trailer), with exceptions listed in section 390.030. A 72-hour license for extra vehicles costs $5.
- Certificates for movers and passenger carriers. Under RSMo 390.051, common carriers of household goods or passengers in intrastate commerce need a certificate from the same commission.
To vet a Missouri carrier:
- Check SAFER for an active USDOT number, motor carrier authority for interstate loads and an MCS-150 within two years.
- Ask for its Missouri regulatory license if the load stays in the state, and a certificate if it's a household move.
- Match the trailer to the load: hoppers and belt trailers for grain, livestock trailers, pneumatic tanks for dry bulk.
- Get a certificate of insurance naming you, at least $750,000 for interstate general freight (49 CFR 387.9) and more for hazardous materials.
Selling to Missouri trucking companies
Missouri splits into two buyer types. The large truckload and dedicated fleets around Springfield, Joplin and St. Louis buy through maintenance, safety and procurement teams and test at one terminal. The thousands of small carriers, many hauling grain and livestock, are owner-run and buy around the harvest: trailers, tires and repairs before it, fuel and financing during it.
Illustrative example. The dealer, its prices and its conversion rates are invented; the counts are FMCSA data above.
Show-Me Hopper Sales (showmehopper.example) sells grain hopper trailers. Missouri has 3,367 for-hire carriers listing grain, feed or hay. If the statewide shares hold for them, 34.6% run 2 to 9 trucks (about 1,165) and 61.5% of those have a current MCS-150 (about 716). A 5% reply rate gives 36 conversations; if one in six buys two trailers at $70,000 each, that's 6 fleets and $840,000 of sales. The timing is everything: reach them in late winter, before planting, not in October. Bebop can find carriers that match this description and research each one first.
Sources for Missouri names
| Source | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| FMCSA Company Census File | Every USDOT record, filterable by Missouri county and cargo |
| SAFER Company Snapshot | One carrier's status, authority, fleet and inspections |
| Missouri Revisor of Statutes, chapter 390 | Motor carrier licensing, certificates and insurance law |
| Missouri Trucking Association | The state association in Jefferson City, with a Council of Safety Supervisors and a buyers guide |
Next step: see the state's western hub in trucking companies in Kansas City.
Sources
- County Business Patterns (CBP), 2023, US Census Bureau, accessed 30 October 2026
- County Business Patterns datasets, 2023 (state and county files), US Census Bureau, accessed 30 October 2026
- Company Census File, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (data.transportation.gov), updated 29 October 2026, accessed 30 October 2026
- SAFER Company Snapshot, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, data as of 28 October 2026, accessed 30 October 2026
- RSMo 390.136, Motor carriers, regulatory license required, Missouri Revisor of Statutes, accessed 30 October 2026
- RSMo 390.051, Certificate of authority, Missouri Revisor of Statutes, accessed 30 October 2026
- Missouri Trucking Association, Missouri Trucking Association, accessed 30 October 2026
Written by the Bebop team at Blackpearl Group. Published .
Questions people ask
How many trucking companies are in Missouri?
Census County Business Patterns counted 3,531 trucking establishments with paid employees in Missouri in 2023, employing 42,098 people, 15th among states. FMCSA's register lists 14,549 active for-hire property carriers with a Missouri address, because it includes owner-operators without employees; 8,486 of them report one power unit and 8,752 operate interstate.
What is the largest trucking company in Missouri?
By registered fleet, New Prime Inc, trading as Prime Inc, in Springfield, with 7,919 power units and 9,070 drivers in its SAFER snapshot as of 28 October 2026. Hogan Dedicated Services in Bridgeton (1,542) and Tri-National in Saint Charles (831) follow among for-hire carriers. No SEC-listed trucking company has a Missouri business address in the data we matched.
Do Missouri trucking companies need a state license?
Yes. Under section 390.136 of the Missouri statutes, a motor carrier may not operate a vehicle without a regulatory license issued by the state highways and transportation commission, at $10 per vehicle per year, with exceptions in section 390.030. Common carriers of household goods or passengers within Missouri also need a certificate under section 390.051.
Why does Springfield have so many trucking jobs?
Large truckload and dedicated carriers are based there. Greene County had 207 trucking establishments with 6,884 employees in 2023, 33.3 per establishment and more trucking jobs than St. Louis County. The register's largest fleet, New Prime, lists a Springfield address, and other sizable carriers are registered in nearby Strafford. Jasper County (Joplin) adds 4,128 employees.
How do I find grain hauling companies in Missouri?
Filter FMCSA's Company Census File for Missouri and the grain, feed and hay cargo field: 3,367 for-hire carriers tick it. Check each one's SAFER snapshot for active status, cargo, power units and a recent MCS-150 update, then ask for its Missouri regulatory license, insurance and the trailer types it runs, such as hoppers or belt trailers.