Updated September 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Independence, Missouri (September 2026)
609 carriers are hiring owner-operators in Independence, Missouri right now, per Lanefinder's September 2026 snapshot. 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. 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 September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Independence, Missouri'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 is number-one in Independence, Missouri this month on the composite ranking. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC sits in the 95th percentile for gross weekly revenue among Independence, Missouri carriers. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 87th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Independence, Missouri median.
#2WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC — $2,657/wk
WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 92nd percentile. WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#3LOAD MONSTER INC — $5,125/wk
LOAD MONSTER INC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 96th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
Also in the top 10: #4 WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $8,750/wk, #5 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #6 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #7 C & G TRANSPORTATION INC at $7,500/wk, #8 AIA TRUCKING INC at $3,450/wk, #9 M&D TRANSPORT at $7,000/wk, #10 TITAN FREIGHT LINES INC at $8,500/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, 93% take-truck-home, 74% pet-friendly, 70% riders-allowed.
How Independence, Missouri compares to Missouri
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Independence, Missouri sits 15% above the Missouri baseline.
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 September 2026.