Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Charlottesville, Virginia (May 2026)
In Charlottesville, Virginia as of May 2026, 601 carriers are actively hiring owner-operators. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $5,491 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. Zmile Inc follows at $2,987/week gross. Virginia freight is anchored by the Port of Virginia at Norfolk and Hampton Roads, the deepest commercial harbor on the East Coast (55 ft after the Gateway dredging program), with I-95 / I-64 / I-81 truck corridors connecting it to the mid-Atlantic and Southeast markets.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Charlottesville, Virginia vs Virginia: the numbers that diverge
Charlottesville, Virginia's biggest divergence from Virginia is on average weekly pay, 18% above the state baseline.
The owner-operator carriers leading Charlottesville, Virginia 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 tops the Charlottesville, Virginia ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 98th percentile. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Charlottesville, Virginia median.
#2Zmile Inc — $2,987/wk
Zmile Inc's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 98th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#3Performance Trucking Inc — $8,000/wk
Performance Trucking Inc pays above the 88th percentile on gross weekly revenue for the Charlottesville, Virginia market. Performance Trucking Inc ranks in the 99th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC at $2,416/wk, #5 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #6 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #7 TAZ TRUCKING INC at $10,999/wk, #8 INLAND EMPIRE LLC at $7,875/wk, #9 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #10 Red Diamond Freight, LLC at $7,025/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Charlottesville, Virginia
8% of Charlottesville, Virginia's active CDL postings are regional and 90% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (2%).
Across Charlottesville, Virginia CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 26% dedicated, 94% take-truck-home, 73% pet-friendly, 71% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in Virginia
Virginia freight is anchored by the Port of Virginia at Norfolk and Hampton Roads — the deepest commercial harbor on the East Coast and a top-tier US container gateway. The I-95 / I-64 / I-81 truck corridors connect Norfolk to mid-Atlantic and Southeast markets, with I-81 north-south through the Shenandoah Valley a major regional freight spine. Cost of living varies widely (high in Northern Virginia, moderate elsewhere). Virginia has a moderate graduated state income tax. Northern Virginia (DC suburbs) congestion is consistently top-tier; central and western VA is generally easier driving.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Charlottesville, Virginia
- CDL driver salary in Charlottesville, Virginia
- Best owner-operator companies in Virginia
The methodology behind the rankings
The composite score is 30% compensation, 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits, and 20% operational performance. Pay percentiles are computed against carriers currently hiring in each market; FMCSA percentiles come from SAFER and weight unsafe-driving and hours-of-service violations 2× heavier than the other three dimensions. Updated May 2026.