Updated November 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Grand Rapids, Michigan (November 2026)
613 carriers in Grand Rapids, Michigan are actively recruiting owner-operators as of November 2026. Each is scored on a composite of compensation, FMCSA safety, benefits, and operational performance. ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $8,500. MONDO MOTION LLC follows at $9,250/week gross. Grand Rapids is a regional manufacturing and distribution hub on US-131 / I-196 in western Michigan, with office furniture, food processing, and automotive Tier-1 suppliers generating industrial freight to Midwest markets.
What changed in November 2026
ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC at #1, MONDO MOTION LLC at #2, and MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC at #3 are new to the top 50 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC (was #1), EXPRESS FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC (was #2), and Ali Star Inc (was #6) 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, 7 carriers joined, 7 left, and 24 changed rank.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC | Not ranked | #1 | New |
| MONDO MOTION LLC | Not ranked | #2 | New |
| MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC | Not ranked | #3 | New |
| SWEET EXPRESS LLC | #3 | #4 | Down 1 place |
| WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC | Not ranked | #5 | New |
| WIDER GROUP INC | #4 | #6 | Down 2 places |
| BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS | #5 | #8 | Down 3 places |
| HERMES NVC CORP | Not ranked | #9 | New |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #12 | #10 | Up 2 places |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #10 | #11 | Down 1 place |
| TITAN FREIGHT LINES INC | #9 | #12 | Down 3 places |
| C & G TRANSPORTATION INC | #15 | #14 | Up 1 place |
| ITF Group | #16 | #15 | Up 1 place |
| LUXOR DRIVE INC | #14 | #16 | Down 2 places |
| WLC GROUP INC | Not ranked | #18 | New |
| CO Lines Inc | #18 | #19 | Down 1 place |
| SUPERTRANSPORT LLC | #23 | #20 | Up 3 places |
| BIG JOHN EXPEDITED INC | #19 | #21 | Down 2 places |
| SOUTHLAND TRANSPORTATION | #25 | #23 | Up 2 places |
| COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION LLC | #29 | #24 | Up 5 places |
| Lois Yoder Trucking | #24 | #25 | Down 1 place |
| Blue Diamond Transportation LLC | #28 | #26 | Up 2 places |
| STEPANOV TRUCKING LLC | Not ranked | #27 | New |
| J & J Oil LLC | #20 | #28 | Down 8 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #32 | #29 | Up 3 places |
| EXPRESS CR INC | #33 | #30 | Up 3 placesweekly pay up 18.2% ($2,750 → $3,250) |
| A & H INC | #37 | #31 | Up 6 places |
| OTRL Recruiting | Not ranked | #32 | New |
| AS TRANSPORTATION INC | Not ranked | #33 | New |
| D & H CATTLE COMPANY LLC | #36 | #35 | Up 1 place |
| VITAL TRANSPORTATION CORP | #38 | #36 | Up 2 places |
| LINESTAR EXPRESS LLC | #35 | #37 | Down 2 places |
| STAR PARTNERS LLC | Not ranked | #38 | New |
| LANDSHARK LOGISTICS GROUP LLC | #41 | #40 | Up 1 place |
| MILESTONE TRUCKING LLC | #40 | #41 | Down 1 place |
| RAY'S TRANSPORT INC | #1 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| EXPRESS FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC | #2 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Ali Star Inc | #6 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| KILO METER LOGISTIC INC | #8 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| IGV Express inc | #11 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| A&M CARRIERS INC | #21 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| BLACK EAGLE EXPRESS LLC | #26 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| DOGE Trucking LLC | #27 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| MAX MOVE LLC | #30 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #31 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
The owner-operator carriers leading Grand Rapids, Michigan this month
The top of the list is ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC at $8,500/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC — $8,500/wk
ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC tops the Grand Rapids, Michigan ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC's gross weekly revenue ranks in the 95th percentile across Grand Rapids, Michigan. Strongest FMCSA dimension is driver fitness — 87th percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2MONDO MOTION LLC — $9,250/wk
MONDO MOTION LLC is new to the Grand Rapids, Michigan top 50 this month — first appearance in this ranking. MONDO MOTION LLC's gross weekly revenue ranks in the 96th percentile across Grand Rapids, Michigan. 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.
Despite ranking below #1, MONDO MOTION LLC outpays the leader on weekly average — $9,250/week.
#3MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC — $3,025/wk
MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC is new to the Grand Rapids, Michigan top 50 this month — first appearance in this ranking. 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 Grand Rapids, Michigan median.
Also in the top 10: #4 SWEET EXPRESS LLC at $8,500/wk, #5 WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC at $2,657/wk, #6 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #7 IKKO LOGISTICS LLC at $7,500/wk, #8 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #9 HERMES NVC CORP at $4,437/wk, #10 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $4,975/wk.
What Grand Rapids, Michigan drivers actually run
Of active CDL postings in Grand Rapids, Michigan this month, 10% are regional and 89% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 1%.
Across Grand Rapids, Michigan CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 28% dedicated, 92% take-truck-home, 73% pet-friendly, 70% riders-allowed.
Grand Rapids, Michigan vs Michigan: the numbers that diverge
| Grand Rapids, Michigan | Michigan top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $6,223 | $5,340 | +17% |
| Riders-allowed policies | 86% | 78% | +8 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Grand Rapids, Michigan sits 17% above the Michigan baseline.
Driving CDL in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids anchors west Michigan on I-96 / US-131. Office furniture manufacturing (Steelcase headquartered in Grand Rapids, acquired by HNI in Dec 2025; MillerKnoll based in nearby Zeeland), food processing, and consumer goods distribution fill out the regional load boards. Lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan is severe — west MI gets significant winter weather. Cost of living is below the national average.
Driving CDL in Michigan
Michigan is the US automotive heartland — a huge share of CDL work in the state is tied to auto-parts inbound or finished-vehicle outbound. Detroit / Dearborn / Flint lanes have a distinctive operational rhythm that follows plant production schedules, including summer shutdown weeks when freight volume often drops. Winter is the dominant operational variable: lake-effect snow off Lake Michigan can shut down west-side runs, and the freeze-thaw cycle on I-94, I-75, and I-96 means road surfaces are rough year-round. State income tax is flat and moderate. The Upper Peninsula is genuinely remote — long stretches with no fuel stops or services — and most newer drivers shouldn't take UP loads until they've learned the territory.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- CDL driver salary in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Best owner-operator companies in Michigan
The methodology behind the rankings
Lanefinder's ranking algorithm weights compensation at 30%, FMCSA SAFER safety at 25%, benefits at 25%, and operational performance at 20%. Compensation reflects pay percentile plus sign-on bonus, guaranteed pay, and settlement-frequency adjustments. Benefits scoring is hiring-type-aware. Operational performance comes mostly from how carriers handle real driver applications. Updated November 2026.