Updated September 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Decatur, Illinois (September 2026)
Decatur, Illinois has 656 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. Illinois anchors the US rail and truck network through Chicago, the largest intermodal hub in North America, with I-80 / I-90 / I-55 feeding a dense concentration of manufacturing, warehousing, and cold-chain freight.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Decatur, Illinois vs Illinois: the numbers that diverge
| Decatur, Illinois | Illinois top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $5,832 | $5,355 | +9% |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 86% | 78% | +8 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 88% | 80% | +8 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Decatur, Illinois sits 9% above the Illinois baseline.
Decatur, Illinois's top owner-operator carriers right now
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 Decatur, Illinois ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Gross weekly revenue here lands in the 95th percentile across Decatur, Illinois. Top FMCSA dimension here is driver fitness, in the 87th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC — $2,657/wk
WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC ranks in the 92nd percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data. WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Decatur, Illinois median.
#3LOAD MONSTER INC — $5,125/wk
LOAD MONSTER INC ranks in the 96th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Decatur, Illinois.
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 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #8 C & G TRANSPORTATION INC at $7,500/wk, #9 AIA TRUCKING INC at $3,450/wk, #10 M&D TRANSPORT at $7,000/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Decatur, Illinois
The route mix in Decatur, Illinois this month tilts OTR: 10% regional, 90% OTR, 0% local, 0% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Decatur, Illinois postings; dedicated routes at 27%; take-truck-home at 93%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 73% and riders-allowed at 70%.
Driving CDL in Illinois
Illinois is one of the most strategically located CDL states — Chicago is the largest US intermodal rail hub, so a huge percentage of national freight passes through. The metro lanes pay well but congestion on I-80, I-90, and I-294 is consistent enough to be a real income variable. Outside the Chicago metro, downstate Illinois looks much more like Iowa or Indiana — agricultural freight, less density, easier driving. State income tax is moderate. The winter operational profile is severe: lake-effect snow, road salt, and the freezing-thawing cycle eat equipment faster than most southern states.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Decatur, Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Decatur, Illinois
- Best owner-operator companies in Illinois
Where this data comes from
Four weighted components. Compensation carries 30% and includes pay percentile, sign-on bonus tier, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement frequency. FMCSA safety carries 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions. Benefits carry 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator carriers. Operational performance carries 20%, measuring application responsiveness and fleet scale. Updated September 2026.