Updated July 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Des Moines, Iowa (July 2026)
Through July 2026, 587 carriers in Des Moines, Iowa contract owner-operators across the lanes Lanefinder tracks. ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $5,500. Performance Trucking Inc follows at $8,000/week gross. Des Moines sits at the I-80 / I-35 junction in central Iowa, serving as the state's primary distribution hub with large outbound volumes of corn, soybeans, and ethanol and growing insurance and financial-sector supply chains.
What changed in July 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Where Des Moines, Iowa differs from the Iowa baseline
| Des Moines, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $6,517 | $5,447 | +20% |
| Riders-allowed policies | 88% | 82% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, July 2026
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Des Moines, Iowa sits 20% above the Iowa baseline.
The owner-operator carriers leading Des Moines, Iowa this month
The top of the list is ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC at $5,500/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC — $5,500/wk
ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC is number-one in Des Moines, Iowa this month on the composite ranking. ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC ranks in the 96th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2Performance Trucking Inc — $8,000/wk
Performance Trucking Inc sits in the 92nd percentile for gross weekly revenue among Des Moines, Iowa carriers.
#3WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC — $2,437/wk
WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 96th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
Also in the top 10: #4 OVERLOG INC at $3,613/wk, #5 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #6 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #7 BB8 FREIGHT CO at $12,666/wk, #8 C & G TRANSPORTATION INC at $7,500/wk, #9 DAHL TRUCKING LLC at $3,750/wk, #10 TP TRUCKING at $8,500/wk.
What Des Moines, Iowa drivers actually run
The route mix in Des Moines, Iowa this month tilts OTR: 7% 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, 26% dedicated, 93% take-truck-home, 74% pet-friendly, 71% riders-allowed.
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 graduated 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 July 2026.