Updated September 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in New Jersey (September 2026)
634 owner-operator carriers are hiring in New Jersey this September 2026. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $8,500 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC follows at $2,657/week gross. New Jersey is the primary Northeast freight gateway through Port Newark / Elizabeth — the busiest container port on the East Coast — with the NJ Turnpike (I-95) and dense intermodal facilities serving the New York metro market.
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 owner-operator pay is strongest in New Jersey this month
The top of the list is RAY'S 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.
#1RAY'S TRANSPORT INC — $8,500/wk
RAY'S TRANSPORT INC leads the New Jersey market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. Pay sits above the 90th percentile in the New Jersey market. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 87th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in New Jersey.
#2WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC — $2,657/wk
WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 92nd percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#3LOAD MONSTER INC — $5,125/wk
LOAD MONSTER INC ranks in the 96th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
Also in the top 10: #4 WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $8,750/wk, #5 TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC at $6,250/wk, #6 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #7 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #8 KILO METER LOGISTIC INC at $7,500/wk, #9 M&D TRANSPORT at $7,000/wk, #10 AIA TRUCKING INC at $3,450/wk.
What New Jersey drivers actually run
11% of New Jersey's active CDL postings are regional and 84% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (5%).
Across New Jersey CDL postings: 3% with guaranteed pay, 30% dedicated, 89% take-truck-home, 69% pet-friendly, 67% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in New Jersey
New Jersey is the primary Northeast freight gateway through Port Newark-Elizabeth — the busiest container port on the East Coast — with the NJ Turnpike (I-95) and dense intermodal facilities feeding the New York metro market. Drayage out of the port is the largest single CDL segment. Cost of living is high; New Jersey state income tax is high and graduated (peaks above 10%). Bridge tolls and truck-route restrictions on the Garden State Parkway (no trucks allowed) and certain Hudson crossings add planning overhead. NJ Turnpike traffic is consistently in the worst US tier.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in New Jersey
- CDL driver salary in New Jersey
- Best owner-operator companies in the United States
Where this data comes from
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 September 2026.