Updated September 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Los Angeles, California (September 2026)
Los Angeles, California, September 2026: 228 active owner-operator carriers. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $8,416. Rickman Transport, LLC follows at $9,250/week gross. Los Angeles freight is dominated by the Port of LA / Long Beach complex, the largest container port in the Western Hemisphere, with dense drayage and Inland Empire warehouse traffic along I-10 and I-710.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Where Los Angeles, California differs from the California baseline
| Los Angeles, California | California top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $7,678 | $6,574 | +17% |
| Riders-allowed policies | 82% | 90% | -8 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Los Angeles, California sits 17% above the California baseline.
The owner-operator carriers leading Los Angeles, California this month
The top of the list is WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $8,416/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC — $8,416/wk
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC is number-one in Los Angeles, California this month on the composite ranking. Pay sits above the 86th percentile in the Los Angeles, California market. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 93rd percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Los Angeles, California.
#2Rickman Transport, LLC — $9,250/wk
Rickman Transport, LLC sits in the 96th percentile for gross weekly revenue among Los Angeles, California carriers. Rickman Transport, LLC ranks in the 91st percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data.
Rickman Transport, LLC offers the highest sign-on bonus among Los Angeles, California's top 10 — $6,000.
#3Always Franklin LLC — $8,250/wk
Always Franklin LLC pays above the 86th percentile on gross weekly revenue for the Los Angeles, California market. Always Franklin LLC ranks in the 94th percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 Ali Star Inc at $10,000/wk, #5 GNS TRUCKING INC at $9,000/wk, #6 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #7 KILO METER LOGISTIC INC at $7,500/wk, #8 TP TRUCKING at $8,500/wk, #9 ARCHER HOLDING GROUP at $8,000/wk, #10 ZAIETS TRANSPORTATION LLC at $8,675/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Los Angeles, California
Of active CDL postings in Los Angeles, California this month, 12% are regional and 83% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 5%.
Across Los Angeles, California CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 40% dedicated, 84% take-truck-home, 67% pet-friendly, 65% 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 Los Angeles, California
- CDL driver salary in Los Angeles, California
- Best owner-operator companies in California
The methodology behind the rankings
The composite score is 30% compensation, 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits, and 20% operational performance. Pay percentiles are computed against carriers currently hiring in each market; FMCSA percentiles come from SAFER and weight unsafe-driving and hours-of-service violations 2× heavier than the other three dimensions. Updated September 2026.