Updated September 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Duluth, Minnesota (September 2026)
Lanefinder is tracking 549 owner-operator carriers in Duluth, Minnesota (September 2026). 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. Minnesota freight moves on the I-35 / I-94 Twin Cities metro grid and reaches the Great Lakes at Duluth, with large agricultural export volumes — soybeans, corn, and wheat — and a significant medical-device manufacturing sector.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Duluth, Minnesota'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 leads the Duluth, Minnesota market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. Gross weekly revenue here lands in the 94th percentile across Duluth, Minnesota. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC ranks in the 87th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC — $2,657/wk
WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 92nd percentile. WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Duluth, Minnesota median.
#3LOAD MONSTER INC — $5,125/wk
LOAD MONSTER INC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 96th percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags LOAD MONSTER INC 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 Ali Star Inc at $10,000/wk, #8 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #9 KILO METER LOGISTIC INC at $7,500/wk, #10 C & G TRANSPORTATION INC at $7,500/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Duluth, Minnesota
Of active CDL postings in Duluth, Minnesota this month, 7% are regional and 93% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 0%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Duluth, Minnesota postings; dedicated routes at 27%; take-truck-home at 93%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 74% and riders-allowed at 72%.
How Duluth, Minnesota compares to Minnesota
| Duluth, Minnesota | Minnesota top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $6,843 | $6,153 | +11% |
| Riders-allowed policies | 92% | 86% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
Duluth, Minnesota's biggest divergence from Minnesota is on average weekly pay, 11% above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Minnesota
Minnesota freight moves on the I-35 / I-94 Twin Cities grid and reaches the Great Lakes at Duluth, a significant Lake Superior port. Agricultural exports — soybeans, corn, wheat — drive heavy outbound volume. A significant medical-device manufacturing sector (Medtronic and others) generates high-value freight. Winter is the dominant operational variable: sub-zero stretches affect equipment, idle-time policy, and HOS realism. Minnesota has a high graduated state income tax — among the higher rates in the country. The Twin Cities have unusually-designed truck-restricted bridges; first-time runs should consult routing notes carefully.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Duluth, Minnesota
- CDL driver salary in Duluth, Minnesota
- Best owner-operator companies in Minnesota
How we compile these rankings
Carriers are scored against carriers in their own market. The composite is 30% compensation (pay + bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement cadence), 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits (W2 vs owner-op scoring), and 20% operational performance (responsiveness + fleet scale). No paid placement — the weights are the same for every carrier in the index. Updated September 2026.