Updated September 2026

Best Owner-Operator Companies in Lima, Ohio (September 2026)

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For owner-operators in Lima, Ohio, Lanefinder tracks 658 carriers as of September 2026. 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. 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 September 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 Lima, Ohio this month

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 leads the Lima, Ohio market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC pays above the 90th percentile on gross weekly revenue for the Lima, Ohio market. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 87th percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags RAY'S TRANSPORT INC as a responsive employer.

#2WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC — $2,657/wk

WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 92nd percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.

#3LOAD MONSTER INC — $5,125/wk

LOAD MONSTER INC's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 96th percentile. LOAD MONSTER INC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.

Also in the top 10: #4 WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $8,750/wk, #5 TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC at $6,250/wk, #6 SWEET EXPRESS LLC at $8,500/wk, #7 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #8 POPE TRANSPORT INC at $7,000/wk, #9 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #10 AIA TRUCKING INC at $3,450/wk.

Lane mix and benefits across Lima, Ohio

Of active CDL postings in Lima, Ohio this month, 10% are regional and 89% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 1%.

Across Lima, Ohio CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 27% dedicated, 92% take-truck-home, 73% pet-friendly, 69% riders-allowed.

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.

How we compile these rankings

Compensation is the largest single weight at 30% — pay percentile, sign-on bonus, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement cadence. FMCSA safety contributes 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions with unsafe-driving and hours-of-service weighted 2× heavier. Benefits contribute 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator and 1099 carriers. Operational performance — application responsiveness and fleet scale — contributes 20%. Updated September 2026.

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