Updated September 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Dayton, Ohio (September 2026)
Dayton, Ohio has 667 active owner-operator carriers as of September 2026. The carriers ranked below are scored on real driver pay, FMCSA safety, benefits, and how they treat applicants. 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. Ohio sits at the center of the US manufacturing belt, with I-70 / I-71 / I-75 forming a freight grid through Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati and major automotive, steel, and chemical supply chains driving consistent lane demand.
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 Dayton, Ohio 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 Dayton, Ohio ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Pay sits above the 90th percentile in the Dayton, Ohio market. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 87th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Dayton, Ohio median.
#2WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC — $2,657/wk
WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 92nd percentile. WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#3LOAD MONSTER INC — $5,125/wk
LOAD MONSTER INC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 96th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
Also in the top 10: #4 WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $8,750/wk, #5 TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC at $6,250/wk, #6 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #7 POPE TRANSPORT INC at $7,000/wk, #8 Freight X LLC at $6,000/wk, #9 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #10 AIA TRUCKING INC at $3,450/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Dayton, Ohio
The route mix in Dayton, Ohio this month tilts OTR: 10% regional, 88% OTR, 1% local, 0% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Dayton, Ohio CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 28% dedicated, 92% take-truck-home, 72% pet-friendly, 69% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in Ohio
Ohio sits at the center of the US manufacturing belt and runs about as much through-freight as any state. I-70, I-71, I-75, and the Ohio Turnpike form a freight grid that's flat, generally well-maintained, and forgiving for newer drivers — Ohio is one of the better states to gain initial OTR experience. The Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati metros each anchor distinct lane profiles (auto, distribution, and pharmaceutical respectively). Winter operational risk is real — lake-effect off Erie, freezing rain in the central part of the state — but less extreme than the Great Plains states. Ohio cost of living is below the national average, which makes the income math work better than the headline pay numbers suggest.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Dayton, Ohio
- CDL driver salary in Dayton, Ohio
- Best owner-operator companies in Ohio
How we compile these rankings
Pay carriers against each other within the same market (30%). Layer a weighted FMCSA SAFER safety percentile on top (25%). Score the benefits package against what actually matters for the hiring type — W2 health/financial benefits or owner-op operational perks (25%). Finish with operational performance: responsiveness to driver applications plus fleet scale (20%). All percentiles are recomputed monthly. Updated September 2026.