Updated November 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Hickory, North Carolina (November 2026)
643 carriers in Hickory, North Carolina are actively recruiting owner-operators as of November 2026. Each is scored on a composite of compensation, FMCSA safety, benefits, and operational performance. MONDO MOTION LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $9,250. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC follows at $3,025/week gross. North Carolina freight moves on I-85 and I-40 through the Charlotte-to-Raleigh-Durham manufacturing corridor and I-95 north-south, with Port of Wilmington handling containerized exports and a large furniture and textiles production base.
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 Hickory, North Carolina. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC (was #1), EXPRESS FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC (was #4), and IGV Express inc (was #7) 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, 8 carriers joined, 8 left, and 27 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 | #2 | #5 | Down 3 places |
| BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS | #3 | #7 | Down 4 places |
| HERMES NVC CORP | Not ranked | #8 | New |
| C & G TRANSPORTATION INC | #5 | #9 | Down 4 places |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #8 | #10 | Down 2 places |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #9 | #11 | Down 2 places |
| TITAN FREIGHT LINES INC | #10 | #12 | Down 2 places |
| ITF Group | Not ranked | #13 | New |
| FIVE STAR TRUCKING INC | #12 | #14 | Down 2 places |
| WLC GROUP INC | Not ranked | #15 | New |
| SUNGOR TRANSPORTATION INC | #11 | #16 | Down 5 places |
| CO Lines Inc | #14 | #17 | Down 3 places |
| SOUTHLAND TRANSPORTATION | #20 | #18 | Up 2 places |
| BIG JOHN EXPEDITED INC | #16 | #19 | Down 3 places |
| STEPANOV TRUCKING LLC | Not ranked | #20 | New |
| J & H TRUCKING INC | #25 | #21 | Up 4 places |
| LEGACY CARGO LLC | #21 | #22 | Down 1 place |
| Blue Diamond Transportation LLC | #22 | #23 | Down 1 place |
| J & J Oil LLC | #17 | #24 | Down 7 places |
| EXPRESS CR INC | #29 | #25 | Up 4 placesweekly pay up 18.2% ($2,750 → $3,250) |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #28 | #27 | Up 1 place |
| COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION LLC | #30 | #28 | Up 2 places |
| AS TRANSPORTATION INC | Not ranked | #29 | New |
| OTRL Recruiting | Not ranked | #30 | New |
| A & H INC | #33 | #31 | Up 2 places |
| D & H CATTLE COMPANY LLC | #34 | #33 | Up 1 place |
| REAL TRUCKING INC | #35 | #34 | Up 1 place |
| STAR PARTNERS LLC | Not ranked | #35 | New |
| BUR-TRANS INC | #39 | #37 | Up 2 places |
| AN ENTERPRISE INC | #37 | #38 | Down 1 place |
| MILESTONE TRUCKING LLC | #38 | #39 | Down 1 place |
| BREEZE TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED | #42 | #41 | Up 1 place |
| HORIZON TRANSPORTATION | #41 | #42 | Down 1 place |
| AN'RE'S FREIGHT LINE, LLC | #45 | #44 | Up 1 place |
| TXI Logistics | #44 | #45 | Down 1 place |
| RAY'S TRANSPORT INC | #1 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| EXPRESS FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC | #4 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| IGV Express inc | #7 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| AIA TRUCKING INC | #13 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| A&M CARRIERS INC | #15 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| BLACK EAGLE EXPRESS LLC | #18 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| KILO METER LOGISTIC INC | #19 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| MAX MOVE LLC | #23 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| DOGE Trucking LLC | #24 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #27 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| LINESTAR EXPRESS LLC | #31 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Where owner-operator pay is strongest in Hickory, North Carolina 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 tops the Hickory, North Carolina ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Gross weekly revenue here lands in the 96th percentile across Hickory, North Carolina. MONDO MOTION LLC ranks in the 98th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC — $3,025/wk
MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC is new to the Hickory, North Carolina top 50 this month — first appearance in this ranking. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 96th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Hickory, North Carolina.
#3ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC — $6,500/wk
ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC is new to the Hickory, North Carolina top 50 this month — first appearance in this ranking. The carrier ranks in the 85th percentile for gross weekly revenue in Hickory, North Carolina. ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC ranks in the 87th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
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 HERMES NVC CORP at $4,437/wk, #9 C & G TRANSPORTATION INC at $7,500/wk, #10 M&D TRANSPORT at $7,000/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Hickory, North Carolina
The route mix in Hickory, North Carolina this month tilts OTR: 10% regional, 90% OTR, 0% local, 0% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Hickory, North Carolina CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 27% dedicated, 92% take-truck-home, 73% pet-friendly, 70% riders-allowed.
Hickory, North Carolina vs North Carolina: the numbers that diverge
Hickory, North Carolina's biggest divergence from North Carolina is on average weekly pay, 10% above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in North Carolina
North Carolina CDL work spans a broad mix — port-and-container out of Wilmington and Morehead City, manufacturing in the Triangle (Raleigh-Durham), distribution and textile freight around Charlotte, and tobacco / agricultural loads from the eastern half of the state. The driver-experience profile is generally favorable: moderate winters, no significant mountain work outside the western tip, and a cost of living a bit below the national average. State income tax is flat and moderate. I-85 between Greensboro and Charlotte is one of the busier Southeast freight lanes. NC is one of the better states for a new CDL driver to build experience without immediately running mountains or severe weather.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Hickory, North Carolina
- CDL driver salary in Hickory, North Carolina
- Best owner-operator companies in North Carolina
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.