Updated September 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in National City, California (September 2026)
National City, California has 202 active owner-operator carriers as of September 2026. The carriers ranked below are scored on real driver pay, FMCSA safety, benefits, and how they treat applicants. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $8,500. Rickman Transport, LLC follows at $9,250/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 September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Where National City, California differs from the California baseline
| National City, California | California top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $7,825 | $6,574 | +19% |
| Riders-allowed policies | 82% | 90% | -8 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
Among the figures above, average weekly pay is where National City, California differs most from California — 19% above statewide.
Where owner-operator pay is strongest in National City, California this month
The top of the list is WESTERN MOUNTAIN 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.
#1WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC — $8,500/wk
WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC leads the National City, California market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC pays above the 86th percentile on gross weekly revenue for the National City, California market. WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 93rd percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in National City, California.
#2Rickman Transport, LLC — $9,250/wk
Rickman Transport, LLC sits in the 95th percentile for gross weekly revenue among National City, California carriers. Strongest FMCSA dimension is unsafe-driving avoidance — 91st percentile.
Rickman Transport, LLC offers the highest sign-on bonus among National City, California's top 10 — $6,000.
#3Always Franklin LLC — $8,250/wk
Always Franklin LLC pays above the 85th percentile on gross weekly revenue for the National City, 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 ZAIETS TRANSPORTATION LLC at $8,675/wk, #10 ARCHER HOLDING GROUP at $8,000/wk.
What National City, California drivers actually run
Of active CDL postings in National City, California this month, 12% are regional and 87% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 1%.
Across National City, California CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 38% dedicated, 86% take-truck-home, 69% pet-friendly, 68% 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 National City, California
- CDL driver salary in National City, California
- Best owner-operator companies in California
How we compile these rankings
Lanefinder's ranking algorithm weights compensation at 30%, FMCSA SAFER safety at 25%, benefits at 25%, and operational performance at 20%. Compensation reflects pay percentile plus sign-on bonus, guaranteed pay, and settlement-frequency adjustments. Benefits scoring is hiring-type-aware. Operational performance comes mostly from how carriers handle real driver applications. Updated September 2026.