Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Lakewood, Ohio (May 2026)
There are 651 owner-operator carriers currently posting jobs in Lakewood, Ohio. The ranking below reflects active jobs as of May 2026, not historical pay surveys. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $5,491 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. B & T EXPRESS INC follows at $6,750/week gross. Ohio sits at the center of the US manufacturing belt, with I-70 / I-71 / I-75 forming a freight grid through Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati and major automotive, steel, and chemical supply chains driving consistent lane demand.
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 Lakewood, Ohio 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 tops the Lakewood, Ohio ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Top FMCSA dimension here is hours-of-service compliance, in the 98th percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#2B & T EXPRESS INC — $6,750/wk
B & T EXPRESS INC's gross weekly revenue ranks in the 85th percentile across Lakewood, Ohio. Top FMCSA dimension here is driver fitness, in the 86th percentile.
#3AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,416/wk
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data. AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC offers a guaranteed weekly minimum.
For guaranteed weekly pay, AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC is the only top-10 Lakewood, Ohio carrier offering it.
Also in the top 10: #4 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #5 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/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 POPE TRANSPORT INC at $7,000/wk, #10 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk.
What Lakewood, Ohio drivers actually run
Of active CDL postings in Lakewood, Ohio this month, 11% are regional and 87% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 2%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of Lakewood, Ohio postings; dedicated routes at 27%; take-truck-home at 92%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 73% and riders-allowed at 70%.
Lakewood, Ohio vs Ohio: the numbers that diverge
| Lakewood, Ohio | Ohio top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $6,212 | $5,665 | +10% |
| Sign-on bonus rate | 22% | 29% | -7 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Among the figures above, average weekly pay is where Lakewood, Ohio differs most from Ohio — 10% above statewide.
Driving CDL in Ohio
Ohio sits at the center of the US manufacturing belt and runs about as much through-freight as any state. I-70, I-71, I-75, and the Ohio Turnpike form a freight grid that's flat, generally well-maintained, and forgiving for newer drivers — Ohio is one of the better states to gain initial OTR experience. The Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati metros each anchor distinct lane profiles (auto, distribution, and pharmaceutical respectively). Winter operational risk is real — lake-effect off Erie, freezing rain in the central part of the state — but less extreme than the Great Plains states. Ohio cost of living is below the national average, which makes the income math work better than the headline pay numbers suggest.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Lakewood, Ohio
- CDL driver salary in Lakewood, Ohio
- Best owner-operator companies in Ohio
How we compile these rankings
Composite-score formula: compensation × 0.30, FMCSA safety × 0.25, benefits × 0.25, operational performance × 0.20. Compensation is anchored on pay percentile and lifted by sign-on bonus tier and guaranteed-pay availability. Operational performance is built mostly from driver-application response data in Lanefinder's platform, with fleet-scale percentile contributing a smaller portion. Updated May 2026.