Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Lincoln, Nebraska (May 2026)
Through May 2026, 551 carriers in Lincoln, Nebraska contract owner-operators across the lanes Lanefinder tracks. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $5,491 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC follows at $2,300/week gross. Lincoln sits at the I-80 / US-77 intersection, serving as Nebraska's secondary distribution hub with agricultural commodity flows, University of Nebraska institutional procurement, and manufacturing distribution for eastern Nebraska.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Lincoln, Nebraska's top owner-operator carriers right now
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 leads the Lincoln, Nebraska market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 98th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Lincoln, Nebraska.
#2AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,300/wk
Lanefinder's application data flags AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC as a responsive employer. Pay is guaranteed on a weekly minimum.
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC is the only Lincoln, Nebraska top-10 carrier that guarantees weekly pay regardless of miles run.
#3D-LINE TRUCKING INC — $5,750/wk
Lanefinder's application data flags D-LINE TRUCKING INC as a responsive employer.
Also in the top 10: #4 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/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 TITAN FREIGHT LINES INC at $8,500/wk, #10 M&D TRANSPORT at $7,000/wk.
What Lincoln, Nebraska drivers actually run
The route mix in Lincoln, Nebraska this month tilts OTR: 7% regional, 92% OTR, 0% local, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Lincoln, Nebraska CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 26% dedicated, 94% take-truck-home, 76% pet-friendly, 73% riders-allowed.
How Lincoln, Nebraska compares to Nebraska
Among the figures above, average weekly pay is where Lincoln, Nebraska differs most from Nebraska — 15% above statewide.
Driving CDL in Nebraska
Nebraska sits on the I-80 transcontinental freight corridor through Omaha, which also serves as Union Pacific Railroad's national headquarters — the rail-to-truck interchange volume is enormous. Agricultural commodity freight — corn, beef, pork — defines the lane structure outside the metros. Cost of living is among the lowest in the country. Nebraska has a moderate graduated state income tax (recently phasing down). I-80 west of Lincoln is one of the more weather-exposed stretches in the Midwest — drifting snow and ice are real annual operational variables.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Lincoln, Nebraska
- CDL driver salary in Lincoln, Nebraska
- Best owner-operator companies in Nebraska
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.