Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Lodi, California (May 2026)
Lodi, California's owner-operator market includes 205 active carriers as of May 2026. Zmile Inc leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $3,233. AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC follows at $2,525/week gross. California freight is dominated by the Port of LA / Long Beach complex, Central Valley agriculture, and the Inland Empire warehouse cluster along I-10 and I-15.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Lodi, California vs California: the numbers that diverge
| Lodi, California | California top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $7,759 | $6,849 | +13% |
| Sign-on bonus rate | 22% | 27% | -5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
Lodi, California's biggest divergence from California is on average weekly pay, 13% above the state baseline.
Where owner-operator pay is strongest in Lodi, California this month
The top of the list is Zmile Inc at $3,233/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1Zmile Inc — $3,233/wk
Zmile Inc leads the Lodi, California market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. Top FMCSA dimension here is hours-of-service compliance, in the 98th percentile. Zmile Inc tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,525/wk
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Lodi, California median. AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC guarantees weekly pay — useful when freight slows down.
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC stands alone in Lodi, California's top 10 on guaranteed pay — every other ranked carrier here pays per-mile or per-load.
#3TAZ TRUCKING INC — $10,999/wk
TAZ TRUCKING INC pays above the 93rd percentile on gross weekly revenue for the Lodi, California market. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 83rd percentile per FMCSA SAFER data.
TAZ TRUCKING INC doesn't top the ranking but offers higher weekly pay than #1 — $10,999/week.
Also in the top 10: #4 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #5 IKKO LOGISTICS LLC at $8,250/wk, #6 Rickman Transport, LLC at $9,250/wk, #7 Ali Star Inc at $10,000/wk, #8 GNS TRUCKING INC at $9,000/wk, #9 INLAND EMPIRE LLC at $7,875/wk, #10 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Lodi, California
11% of Lodi, California's active CDL postings are regional and 85% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (4%).
Across Lodi, California CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 36% dedicated, 87% take-truck-home, 73% pet-friendly, 70% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in California
California is one of the toughest states to drive CDL in the country, and one of the most lucrative for the right setup. CARB clean-truck enforcement is the most aggressive in the US, so newer equipment is effectively required for fleet work — if you're owner-op, plan the truck purchase around it. Drayage out of LA / Long Beach and warehouse-rotation work in the Inland Empire pay near the top of the national scale, but cost of living is brutal. The mountain passes (Cajon, Grapevine, Donner) add real winter complexity that most other Southwest lanes don't. Drivers with serious mountain experience earn it back.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Lodi, California
- CDL driver salary in Lodi, California
- Best owner-operator companies in California
How we compile these rankings
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.