Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Independence, Missouri (May 2026)
610 carriers are hiring owner-operators in Independence, Missouri right now, per Lanefinder's May 2026 snapshot. 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. Missouri freight is shaped by the St. Louis and Kansas City hubs anchoring I-70 / I-44 / I-55 corridors, with the Mississippi and Missouri rivers providing barge access for agricultural and bulk commodity shipments.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
How Independence, Missouri compares to Missouri
| Independence, Missouri | Missouri top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $6,355 | $5,451 | +17% |
| Riders-allowed policies | 90% | 85% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Independence, Missouri sits 17% above the Missouri baseline.
Independence, Missouri's top owner-operator carriers right now
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 is number-one in Independence, Missouri this month on the composite ranking. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 98th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Independence, Missouri.
#2AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,600/wk
Lanefinder's application data flags AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC as a responsive employer. AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC guarantees weekly pay — useful when freight slows down.
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC stands alone in Independence, Missouri's top 10 on guaranteed pay — every other ranked carrier here pays per-mile or per-load.
#3Performance Trucking Inc — $8,000/wk
Performance Trucking Inc sits in the 93rd percentile for gross weekly revenue among Independence, Missouri carriers. Performance Trucking Inc ranks in the 99th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data.
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 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #10 Red Diamond Freight, LLC at $7,022/wk.
What Independence, Missouri drivers actually run
8% of Independence, Missouri's active CDL postings are regional and 91% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (1%).
Across Independence, Missouri CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 26% dedicated, 94% take-truck-home, 75% pet-friendly, 71% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in Missouri
Missouri freight is shaped by the St. Louis and Kansas City hubs anchoring the I-70 / I-44 / I-55 corridors. The Mississippi and Missouri rivers provide barge access for agricultural and bulk commodity transfers. St. Louis is one of the older US freight crossroads — the rail-truck interchange there is dense and complicated. Living costs sit comfortably below the national average; Missouri has a low-to-moderate graduated state income tax. Tornado season (March-June) shapes spring dispatch in central and southern MO.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Independence, Missouri
- CDL driver salary in Independence, Missouri
- Best owner-operator companies in Missouri
The methodology behind the rankings
The score is built from four buckets. Thirty percent compensation, drawn from real active job postings and modified by bonus and settlement structure. Twenty-five percent safety, from FMCSA SAFER. Twenty-five percent benefits, scored hiring-type-aware. Twenty percent operational performance, drawn from how carriers actually behave toward applicants. Updated May 2026.