Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Ankeny, Iowa (May 2026)
596 carriers are hiring owner-operators in Ankeny, Iowa right now, per Lanefinder's May 2026 snapshot. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $5,491 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC follows at $2,600/week gross. Iowa freight is shaped by its agricultural output — corn, soybeans, and ethanol — moving on I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south, with Des Moines serving as the primary distribution crossroads.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Where Ankeny, Iowa differs from the Iowa baseline
| Ankeny, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $6,737 | $5,764 | +17% |
| Dedicated routes | 49% | 42% | +7 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 88% | 81% | +7 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Ankeny, Iowa's biggest divergence from Iowa is on average weekly pay, 17% above the state baseline.
The owner-operator carriers leading Ankeny, Iowa this month
The top of the list is YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC at $5,491/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC — $5,491/wk
YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC is number-one in Ankeny, Iowa this month on the composite ranking. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 98th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Ankeny, Iowa.
#2AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,600/wk
Lanefinder's application data flags AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC as a responsive employer. Pay is guaranteed on a weekly minimum.
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC stands alone in Ankeny, Iowa's top 10 on guaranteed pay — every other ranked carrier here pays per-mile or per-load.
#3Performance Trucking Inc — $8,000/wk
Performance Trucking Inc pays above the 87th percentile on gross weekly revenue for the Ankeny, Iowa market. Top FMCSA dimension here is driver fitness, in the 99th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #5 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #6 Zmile Inc at $2,175/wk, #7 TAZ TRUCKING INC at $10,999/wk, #8 INLAND EMPIRE LLC at $7,875/wk, #9 Ali Star Inc at $10,000/wk, #10 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Ankeny, Iowa
7% of Ankeny, Iowa's active CDL postings are regional and 92% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (1%).
Across Ankeny, Iowa CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 26% dedicated, 94% take-truck-home, 75% pet-friendly, 71% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in Iowa
Iowa freight is shaped by the state's agricultural output — corn, soybeans, ethanol, pork — moving on the I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south corridors. Des Moines serves as the primary distribution crossroads. Cedar Rapids and Davenport (Quad Cities) add manufacturing and food-processing freight. Iowa runs a moderate graduated state income tax; living costs are among the lowest in the Midwest. Winter is severe — wind off the prairie plus drifting snow plus black ice on I-80 makes route timing genuinely consequential from December through March.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Ankeny, Iowa
- CDL driver salary in Ankeny, Iowa
- Best owner-operator companies in Iowa
How we compile these rankings
The score is built from four buckets. Thirty percent compensation, drawn from real active job postings and modified by bonus and settlement structure. Twenty-five percent safety, from FMCSA SAFER. Twenty-five percent benefits, scored hiring-type-aware. Twenty percent operational performance, drawn from how carriers actually behave toward applicants. Updated May 2026.