Updated November 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Illinois (November 2026)
792 carriers in Illinois 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. Illinois anchors the US rail and truck network through Chicago, the largest intermodal hub in North America, with I-80 / I-90 / I-55 feeding a dense concentration of manufacturing, warehousing, and cold-chain freight.
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 Illinois. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC (was #1), EXPRESS FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC (was #5), and IGV Express inc (was #7) left the top 50. Elsewhere in the top 50, 7 carriers joined, 7 left, and 22 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 |
| SWEET EXPRESS LLC | #2 | #4 | Down 2 places |
| WIDER GROUP INC | Not ranked | #5 | New |
| POPE TRANSPORT INC | #3 | #7 | Down 4 places |
| BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS | #4 | #8 | Down 4 places |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #8 | #9 | Down 1 place |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #9 | #11 | Down 2 places |
| C & G TRANSPORTATION INC | #11 | #12 | Down 1 place |
| FIVE STAR TRUCKING INC | #12 | #13 | Down 1 place |
| HERMES NVC CORP | Not ranked | #14 | New |
| Brenny Specialized Inc | #14 | #15 | Down 1 place |
| WLC GROUP INC | Not ranked | #16 | New |
| CO Lines Inc | #16 | #17 | Down 1 place |
| SOUTHLAND TRANSPORTATION | #20 | #18 | Up 2 places |
| COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION LLC | #24 | #19 | Up 5 places |
| Blue Diamond Transportation LLC | #21 | #20 | Up 1 place |
| EXPRESS CR INC | Not ranked | #21 | New |
| NEIER INC | #25 | #23 | Up 2 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #26 | #24 | Up 2 places |
| ICD FREIGHT INC | #29 | #25 | Up 4 places |
| AS TRANSPORTATION INC | Not ranked | #26 | New |
| OTRL Recruiting | Not ranked | #27 | New |
| KENNEDY TRANSPORTATION INC | #30 | #28 | Up 2 places |
| A & H INC | #33 | #29 | Up 4 places |
| KMH Logistics LLC | #31 | #30 | Up 1 place |
| Black & Blue Transport LLC | #27 | #31 | Down 4 places |
| Wynne Transport Service | Not ranked | #32 | New |
| D & H CATTLE COMPANY LLC | #32 | #33 | Down 1 place |
| REVEL TRANSPORT LLC | #44 | #43 | Up 1 place |
| CYCLE LOGISTICS INC | #43 | #44 | Down 1 place |
| RAY'S TRANSPORT INC | #1 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| EXPRESS FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC | #5 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| IGV Express inc | #7 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| SUNGOR TRANSPORTATION INC | #13 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| TNO TRUCKING INC | #15 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| A&M CARRIERS INC | #17 | 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 |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #28 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Where owner-operator pay is strongest in Illinois 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 Illinois ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Gross weekly revenue here lands in the 97th percentile across Illinois. Top FMCSA dimension here is hours-of-service compliance, in the 98th percentile. MONDO MOTION LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC — $3,025/wk
MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC debuts in the Illinois top 50 this month — it wasn't tracked here last month. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 96th percentile. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Illinois median.
#3ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC — $6,500/wk
ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC is new to the Illinois top 50 this month — first appearance in this ranking. Gross weekly revenue here lands in the 86th percentile across Illinois. ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC ranks in the 87th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
Also in the top 10: #4 SWEET EXPRESS LLC at $8,500/wk, #5 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #6 IKKO LOGISTICS LLC at $7,500/wk, #7 POPE TRANSPORT INC at $7,000/wk, #8 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #9 M&D TRANSPORT at $7,000/wk, #10 MCDERMID TRANSPORTATION INC at $7,150/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Illinois
15% of Illinois's active CDL postings are regional and 82% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (3%).
Across Illinois CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 30% dedicated, 90% take-truck-home, 69% pet-friendly, 65% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in Illinois
Illinois is one of the most strategically located CDL states — Chicago is the largest US intermodal rail hub, so a huge percentage of national freight passes through. The metro lanes pay well but congestion on I-80, I-90, and I-294 is consistent enough to be a real income variable. Outside the Chicago metro, downstate Illinois looks much more like Iowa or Indiana — agricultural freight, less density, easier driving. State income tax is moderate. The winter operational profile is severe: lake-effect snow, road salt, and the freezing-thawing cycle eat equipment faster than most southern states.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Illinois
- Best owner-operator companies in the United States
How we compile these rankings
Pay carriers against each other within the same market (30%). Layer a weighted FMCSA SAFER safety percentile on top (25%). Score the benefits package against what actually matters for the hiring type — W2 health/financial benefits or owner-op operational perks (25%). Finish with operational performance: responsiveness to driver applications plus fleet scale (20%). All percentiles are recomputed monthly. Updated November 2026.