Updated November 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Des Moines, Iowa (November 2026)
Through November 2026, 594 carriers in Des Moines, Iowa contract owner-operators across the lanes Lanefinder tracks. MONDO MOTION LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $9,250. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC follows at $3,025/week gross. Des Moines sits at the I-80 / I-35 junction in central Iowa, serving as a distribution hub for regional agricultural, manufacturing, and retail freight.
What changed in November 2026
MONDO MOTION LLC at #1, MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC at #2, and ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC at #3 are new to the top 50 in Des Moines, Iowa. Biggest climb: WLC GROUP INC (#33 → #17). RAY'S TRANSPORT INC (was #1) and EXPRESS FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC (was #2) left the top 50. Average weekly pay moved most at EXPRESS CR INC (up 18.2% from $2,750 to $3,250). Elsewhere in the top 50, 6 carriers joined, 7 left, and 32 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MONDO MOTION LLC | Not ranked | #1 | New |
| MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC | Not ranked | #2 | New |
| ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC | Not ranked | #3 | New |
| WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC | Not ranked | #4 | New |
| WIDER GROUP INC | #3 | #5 | Down 2 places |
| BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS | #4 | #7 | Down 3 places |
| C & G TRANSPORTATION INC | #5 | #8 | Down 3 places |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #7 | #9 | Down 2 places |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #9 | #10 | Down 1 place |
| TITAN FREIGHT LINES INC | #8 | #11 | Down 3 places |
| Goldway Trans LLC | #10 | #12 | Down 2 places |
| FIVE STAR TRUCKING INC | #12 | #14 | Down 2 places |
| HERMES NVC CORP | Not ranked | #15 | New |
| LUXOR DRIVE INC | #11 | #16 | Down 5 places |
| WLC GROUP INC | #33 | #17 | Up 16 placesweekly pay up 4.2% ($3,000 → $3,125) |
| SUNGOR TRANSPORTATION INC | #14 | #18 | Down 4 places |
| CO Lines Inc | #16 | #19 | Down 3 places |
| SUPERTRANSPORT LLC | #22 | #20 | Up 2 places |
| BIG JOHN EXPEDITED INC | #18 | #21 | Down 3 places |
| SOUTHLAND TRANSPORTATION | #24 | #22 | Up 2 places |
| LEGACY CARGO LLC | #21 | #23 | Down 2 places |
| J & H TRUCKING INC | #28 | #24 | Up 4 places |
| Blue Diamond Transportation LLC | #26 | #25 | Up 1 place |
| J & J Oil LLC | #19 | #26 | Down 7 places |
| EXPRESS CR INC | #34 | #27 | Up 7 placesweekly pay up 18.2% ($2,750 → $3,250) |
| ICD FREIGHT INC | #32 | #28 | Up 4 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #30 | #29 | Up 1 place |
| COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION LLC | #37 | #30 | Up 7 places |
| A & H INC | #38 | #31 | Up 7 places |
| AS TRANSPORTATION INC | Not ranked | #32 | New |
| OTRL Recruiting | Not ranked | #33 | New |
| KMH Logistics LLC | #36 | #34 | Up 2 places |
| Black & Blue Transport LLC | #29 | #35 | Down 6 places |
| Wynne Transport Service | Not ranked | #36 | New |
| VITAL TRANSPORTATION CORP | #39 | #37 | Up 2 places |
| LINESTAR EXPRESS LLC | #35 | #38 | Down 3 places |
| STAR PARTNERS LLC | Not ranked | #39 | New |
| LANDSHARK LOGISTICS GROUP LLC | #43 | #40 | Up 3 places |
| AN ENTERPRISE INC | #42 | #41 | Up 1 place |
| MILESTONE TRUCKING LLC | #41 | #42 | Down 1 place |
| EOS Trucking Inc. | #40 | #43 | Down 3 places |
| BREEZE TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED | #45 | #44 | Up 1 place |
| HORIZON TRANSPORTATION | #44 | #45 | Down 1 place |
| RAY'S TRANSPORT INC | #1 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| EXPRESS FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC | #2 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| AIA TRUCKING INC | #15 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| A&M CARRIERS INC | #17 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| KILO METER LOGISTIC INC | #20 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| BLACK EAGLE EXPRESS LLC | #23 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| DOGE Trucking LLC | #25 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| MAX MOVE LLC | #27 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #31 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
The owner-operator carriers leading Des Moines, Iowa this month
The top of the list is MONDO MOTION LLC at $9,250/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1MONDO MOTION LLC — $9,250/wk
MONDO MOTION LLC leads the Des Moines, Iowa market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. MONDO MOTION LLC's gross weekly revenue ranks in the 96th percentile across Des Moines, Iowa. MONDO MOTION LLC ranks in the 98th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. MONDO MOTION LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC — $3,025/wk
MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC debuts in the Des Moines, Iowa top 50 this month — it wasn't tracked here last month. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 96th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Des Moines, Iowa median.
#3ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC — $6,500/wk
ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC is new to the Des Moines, Iowa top 50 this month — first appearance in this ranking. ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC ranks in the 87th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
Also in the top 10: #4 WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC at $2,657/wk, #5 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #6 IKKO LOGISTICS LLC at $7,500/wk, #7 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/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.
What Des Moines, Iowa drivers actually run
The route mix in Des Moines, Iowa this month tilts OTR: 8% regional, 92% OTR, 0% local, 0% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Des Moines, Iowa CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 27% dedicated, 93% take-truck-home, 73% pet-friendly, 69% riders-allowed.
Where Des Moines, Iowa differs from the Iowa baseline
| Des Moines, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $6,157 | $5,285 | +17% |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 82% | 76% | +6 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 84% | 78% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Des Moines, Iowa sits 17% above the Iowa baseline.
Driving CDL in Des Moines
Des Moines anchors central Iowa at the I-80 / I-35 cross — one of Iowa's main distribution hubs. Outbound corn, soybean, and ethanol freight is substantial; insurance and financial-sector supply chains add steady distribution. Housing is affordable relative to comparable Midwest hubs. Winter is severe (drifting snow, prairie wind).
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 flat 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 Des Moines, Iowa
- CDL driver salary in Des Moines, Iowa
- Best owner-operator companies in Iowa
How we compile these rankings
Compensation is the largest single weight at 30% — pay percentile, sign-on bonus, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement cadence. FMCSA safety contributes 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions with unsafe-driving and hours-of-service weighted 2× heavier. Benefits contribute 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator and 1099 carriers. Operational performance — application responsiveness and fleet scale — contributes 20%. Updated November 2026.