Updated November 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Iowa City, Iowa (November 2026)
607 carriers are hiring owner-operators in Iowa City, Iowa right now, per Lanefinder's November 2026 snapshot. MONDO MOTION LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $9,250. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC follows at $3,025/week gross. Iowa freight is shaped by its agricultural output — corn, soybeans, and ethanol — moving on I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south, with Des Moines serving as the primary distribution crossroads.
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 Iowa City, Iowa. Biggest climb: WLC GROUP INC (#33 → #17). RAY'S TRANSPORT INC (was #1), EXPRESS FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC (was #2), and IGV Express inc (was #10) 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, 6 carriers joined, 6 left, and 29 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 | #3 | #5 | Down 2 places |
| BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS | #4 | #7 | Down 3 places |
| C & G TRANSPORTATION INC | #5 | #8 | Down 3 places |
| JK MOVING & STORAGE INC | #7 | #9 | Down 2 places |
| M&D TRANSPORT | #9 | #10 | Down 1 place |
| TITAN FREIGHT LINES INC | #8 | #11 | Down 3 places |
| Goldway Trans LLC | #11 | #12 | Down 1 place |
| HERMES NVC CORP | Not ranked | #15 | New |
| LUXOR DRIVE INC | #12 | #16 | Down 4 places |
| WLC GROUP INC | #33 | #17 | Up 16 placesweekly pay up 4.2% ($3,000 → $3,125) |
| CO Lines Inc | #16 | #18 | Down 2 places |
| SUNGOR TRANSPORTATION INC | #15 | #19 | Down 4 places |
| SUPERTRANSPORT LLC | #22 | #20 | Up 2 places |
| BIG JOHN EXPEDITED INC | #18 | #21 | Down 3 places |
| SOUTHLAND TRANSPORTATION | #23 | #22 | Up 1 place |
| LEGACY CARGO LLC | #21 | #23 | Down 2 places |
| J & H TRUCKING INC | #27 | #24 | Up 3 places |
| J & J Oil LLC | #19 | #26 | Down 7 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #30 | #27 | Up 3 places |
| EXPRESS CR INC | #34 | #28 | Up 6 placesweekly pay up 18.2% ($2,750 → $3,250) |
| ICD FREIGHT INC | #32 | #29 | Up 3 places |
| COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION LLC | #36 | #30 | Up 6 places |
| A & H INC | #38 | #31 | Up 7 places |
| AS TRANSPORTATION INC | Not ranked | #32 | New |
| OTRL Recruiting | Not ranked | #33 | New |
| KMH Logistics LLC | #37 | #34 | Up 3 places |
| Black & Blue Transport LLC | #29 | #35 | Down 6 places |
| Wynne Transport Service | Not ranked | #36 | New |
| VITAL TRANSPORTATION CORP | #39 | #37 | Up 2 places |
| LINESTAR EXPRESS LLC | #35 | #38 | Down 3 places |
| STAR PARTNERS LLC | Not ranked | #39 | New |
| LANDSHARK LOGISTICS GROUP LLC | #42 | #40 | Up 2 places |
| AN ENTERPRISE INC | #40 | #41 | Down 1 place |
| MILESTONE TRUCKING LLC | #41 | #42 | Down 1 place |
| BREEZE TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED | #45 | #44 | Up 1 place |
| HORIZON TRANSPORTATION | #44 | #45 | Down 1 place |
| RAY'S TRANSPORT INC | #1 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| EXPRESS FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC | #2 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| IGV Express inc | #10 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| A&M CARRIERS INC | #17 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| KILO METER LOGISTIC INC | #20 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| BLACK EAGLE EXPRESS LLC | #24 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| DOGE Trucking LLC | #26 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| MAX MOVE LLC | #28 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #31 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Where owner-operator pay is strongest in Iowa City, Iowa 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 leads the Iowa City, Iowa market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. Gross weekly revenue here lands in the 96th percentile across Iowa City, Iowa. Strongest FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance — 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 makes its first-time appearance in Iowa City, Iowa's ranking this month. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 96th percentile. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Iowa City, Iowa median.
#3ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC — $6,500/wk
ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC makes its first-time appearance in Iowa City, Iowa's ranking this month. Strongest FMCSA dimension is driver fitness — 87th percentile. 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 C & G TRANSPORTATION INC at $7,500/wk, #9 JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $4,975/wk, #10 M&D TRANSPORT at $7,000/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Iowa City, Iowa
Of active CDL postings in Iowa City, Iowa this month, 8% are regional and 92% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 0%.
Across Iowa City, Iowa CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 27% dedicated, 93% take-truck-home, 73% pet-friendly, 69% riders-allowed.
Where Iowa City, Iowa differs from the Iowa baseline
| Iowa City, Iowa | Iowa top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $6,157 | $5,285 | +17% |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 82% | 76% | +6 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 84% | 78% | +6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Iowa City, Iowa's biggest divergence from Iowa is on average weekly pay, 17% above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Iowa
Iowa freight is shaped by the state's agricultural output — corn, soybeans, ethanol, pork — moving on the I-80 east-west and I-35 north-south corridors. Des Moines serves as the primary distribution crossroads. Cedar Rapids and Davenport (Quad Cities) add manufacturing and food-processing freight. Iowa runs a moderate flat state income tax; living costs are among the lowest in the Midwest. Winter is severe — wind off the prairie plus drifting snow plus black ice on I-80 makes route timing genuinely consequential from December through March.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Iowa City, Iowa
- CDL driver salary in Iowa City, Iowa
- Best owner-operator companies in Iowa
How we compile these rankings
The composite score is 30% compensation, 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits, and 20% operational performance. Pay percentiles are computed against carriers currently hiring in each market; FMCSA percentiles come from SAFER and weight unsafe-driving and hours-of-service violations 2× heavier than the other three dimensions. Updated November 2026.