Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Lima, Ohio (May 2026)
For owner-operators in Lima, Ohio, Lanefinder tracks 657 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. Performance Trucking Inc follows at $8,000/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 Lima, 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 is number-one in Lima, Ohio this month on the composite ranking. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 98th percentile. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Lima, Ohio median.
#2Performance Trucking Inc — $8,000/wk
Performance Trucking Inc pays above the 88th percentile on gross weekly revenue for the Lima, Ohio market. Top FMCSA dimension here is driver fitness, in the 99th percentile.
#3AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,416/wk
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data. Pay is guaranteed on a weekly minimum.
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC is the only Lima, Ohio top-10 carrier that guarantees weekly pay regardless of miles run.
Also in the top 10: #4 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #5 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #6 TAZ TRUCKING INC at $10,999/wk, #7 SWEET EXPRESS LLC at $8,500/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.
Lane mix and benefits across Lima, Ohio
Of active CDL postings in Lima, Ohio this month, 10% are regional and 88% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 2%.
Across Lima, Ohio CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 26% dedicated, 93% take-truck-home, 74% pet-friendly, 70% riders-allowed.
Where Lima, Ohio differs from the Ohio baseline
Lima, Ohio's biggest divergence from Ohio is on average weekly pay, 10% above the state baseline.
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 Lima, Ohio
- CDL driver salary in Lima, Ohio
- Best owner-operator companies in Ohio
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 May 2026.