Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Des Moines, Iowa (May 2026)
Through May 2026, 596 carriers in Des Moines, Iowa contract owner-operators across the lanes Lanefinder tracks. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $5,491 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC follows at $2,600/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 May 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 | $6,737 | $5,764 | +17% |
| Dedicated routes | 49% | 42% | +7 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 88% | 81% | +7 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Des Moines, Iowa sits 17% above the Iowa baseline.
The owner-operator carriers leading Des Moines, Iowa this month
The top of the list is YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC at $5,491/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC — $5,491/wk
YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads the Des Moines, Iowa market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. On hours-of-service compliance, the carrier ranks in the 98th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Des Moines, Iowa.
#2AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,600/wk
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Des Moines, Iowa median. Weekly pay is guaranteed regardless of miles run.
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC is the only Des Moines, Iowa top-10 carrier that guarantees weekly pay regardless of miles run.
#3Performance Trucking Inc — $8,000/wk
Performance Trucking Inc sits in the 92nd percentile for gross weekly revenue among Des Moines, Iowa carriers. Top FMCSA dimension here is driver fitness, in the 99th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #5 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #6 Zmile Inc at $2,175/wk, #7 TAZ TRUCKING INC at $10,999/wk, #8 INLAND EMPIRE LLC at $7,875/wk, #9 Ali Star Inc at $10,000/wk, #10 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/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, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Des Moines, Iowa CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 26% dedicated, 94% take-truck-home, 75% 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 May 2026.