Updated September 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Chattanooga, Tennessee (September 2026)
Lanefinder's index counts 661 active owner-operator carriers in Chattanooga, Tennessee this September 2026. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $8,500 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC follows at $2,657/week gross. Tennessee is a critical national freight crossroads: Memphis hosts the FedEx global air hub and a major trucking interchange on I-40 / I-55, while Nashville-area automotive and manufacturing plants drive dense I-65 / I-24 lane activity.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Where owner-operator pay is strongest in Chattanooga, Tennessee this month
The top of the list is RAY'S TRANSPORT INC at $8,500/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1RAY'S TRANSPORT INC — $8,500/wk
RAY'S TRANSPORT INC tops the Chattanooga, Tennessee ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. The carrier ranks in the 95th percentile for gross weekly revenue in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Strongest FMCSA dimension is driver fitness — 87th percentile. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC — $2,657/wk
WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 92nd percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC as a responsive employer.
#3LOAD MONSTER INC — $5,125/wk
LOAD MONSTER INC's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 96th percentile. LOAD MONSTER INC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Chattanooga, Tennessee median.
Also in the top 10: #4 WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $8,750/wk, #5 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #6 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #7 AIA TRUCKING INC at $3,450/wk, #8 C & G TRANSPORTATION INC at $7,500/wk, #9 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $4,975/wk, #10 M&D TRANSPORT at $7,000/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Chattanooga, Tennessee
The route mix in Chattanooga, Tennessee this month tilts OTR: 11% regional, 89% OTR, 0% local, 0% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Chattanooga, Tennessee postings; dedicated routes at 26%; take-truck-home at 93%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 73% and riders-allowed at 71%.
How Chattanooga, Tennessee compares to Tennessee
Among the figures above, average weekly pay is where Chattanooga, Tennessee differs most from Tennessee — 10% above statewide.
Driving CDL in Tennessee
Tennessee is a critical national freight crossroads: Memphis hosts the FedEx Express World Hub — one of the world's largest air cargo hubs by tonnage — and a major trucking interchange on I-40 / I-55, with the nightly sort cycle generating enormous regional dispatch demand. Nashville-area automotive (Nissan Smyrna) and manufacturing drive dense I-65 / I-24 lane activity. Cost of living is below the national average; Tennessee has no state income tax on wages. East TN (Chattanooga, Knoxville) is mountain-adjacent — I-40 east through the Smokies and I-24 across Monteagle pass have real winter weight.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Chattanooga, Tennessee
- CDL driver salary in Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Best owner-operator companies in Tennessee
The methodology behind the rankings
Rankings combine four signals: compensation (30%) including pay percentile, sign-on bonuses, guaranteed pay, and settlement frequency; FMCSA safety (25%); benefits (25%) scored differently for W2 vs owner-operator carriers; and operational performance (20%) measuring employer responsiveness and fleet scale. Recomputed monthly from real active job postings. Updated September 2026.