Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Kearny, New Jersey (May 2026)
Kearny, New Jersey's owner-operator market includes 561 active carriers as of May 2026. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $5,491 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. Zmile Inc follows at $2,987/week gross. New Jersey is the primary Northeast freight gateway through Port Newark / Elizabeth — the busiest container port on the East Coast — with the NJ Turnpike (I-95) and dense intermodal facilities serving the New York metro market.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
The owner-operator carriers leading Kearny, New Jersey this month
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 Kearny, New Jersey this month on the composite ranking. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 98th percentile. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Kearny, New Jersey median.
#2Zmile Inc — $2,987/wk
Zmile Inc ranks in the 98th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#3AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,416/wk
Lanefinder's application data flags AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC as a responsive employer. Weekly pay is guaranteed regardless of miles run.
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC stands alone in Kearny, New Jersey's top 10 on guaranteed pay — every other ranked carrier here pays per-mile or per-load.
Also in the top 10: #4 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #5 TAZ TRUCKING INC at $10,999/wk, #6 INLAND EMPIRE LLC at $7,875/wk, #7 Ali Star Inc at $10,000/wk, #8 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #9 C & G TRANSPORTATION INC at $7,500/wk, #10 TITAN FREIGHT LINES INC at $8,500/wk.
What Kearny, New Jersey drivers actually run
Of active CDL postings in Kearny, New Jersey this month, 9% are regional and 87% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 4%.
Across Kearny, New Jersey CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 29% dedicated, 90% take-truck-home, 72% pet-friendly, 68% riders-allowed.
Where Kearny, New Jersey differs from the New Jersey baseline
Among the figures above, average weekly pay is where Kearny, New Jersey differs most from New Jersey — 8% above statewide.
Driving CDL in New Jersey
New Jersey is the primary Northeast freight gateway through Port Newark-Elizabeth — the busiest container port on the East Coast — with the NJ Turnpike (I-95) and dense intermodal facilities feeding the New York metro market. Drayage out of the port is the largest single CDL segment. Cost of living is high; New Jersey state income tax is high and graduated (peaks above 10%). Bridge tolls and truck-route restrictions on the Garden State Parkway (no trucks allowed) and certain Hudson crossings add planning overhead. NJ Turnpike traffic is consistently in the worst US tier.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Kearny, New Jersey
- CDL driver salary in Kearny, New Jersey
- Best owner-operator companies in New Jersey
Where this data comes from
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.