Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in New York, New York (May 2026)
New York, New York, May 2026: 548 active owner-operator carriers. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $5,491 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. Zmile Inc follows at $2,987/week gross. New York City freight is dominated by the Port of New York and New Jersey complex and dense last-mile delivery demand across five boroughs, with I-95 and the NJ Turnpike channeling the region's massive consumer and commercial import volumes.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
How New York, New York compares to New York
| New York, New York | New York top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $7,101 | $6,009 | +18% |
| Dedicated routes | 51% | 46% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
New York, New York's biggest divergence from New York is on average weekly pay, 18% above the state baseline.
The owner-operator carriers leading New York, New York this month
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 New York, New York market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC ranks in the 98th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2Zmile Inc — $2,987/wk
Zmile Inc's top FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance, in the 98th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in New York, New York.
#3AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,416/wk
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data. AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC offers a guaranteed weekly minimum.
Among New York, New York's top 10, only AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC pays guaranteed weekly wages — useful if route variance matters.
Also in the top 10: #4 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #5 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #6 TAZ TRUCKING INC at $10,999/wk, #7 INLAND EMPIRE LLC at $7,875/wk, #8 Rickman Transport, LLC at $9,250/wk, #9 Ali Star Inc at $10,000/wk, #10 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in New York, New York
The route mix in New York, New York this month tilts OTR: 9% regional, 88% OTR, 2% local, 2% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of New York, New York postings; dedicated routes at 29%; take-truck-home at 91%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 72% and riders-allowed at 69%.
Driving CDL in New York
New York CDL work is mostly upstate or NYC-metro last-mile — almost no through-driver wants to deal with the Five Boroughs more than necessary. The patchwork of bridge tolls (MTA Bridges & Tunnels, Port Authority, Thruway Authority), the truck-route restrictions in Manhattan and on the parkways, and the weight-on-bridge rules add real planning overhead. Long Island delivery work pays a premium for drivers who can actually navigate it. Upstate freight on I-90 / I-87 looks much more like normal interstate driving, with the addition of real winter — lake-effect snow off Erie and Ontario can shut runs down. State income tax is high; many drivers based here run out-of-state lanes to keep the math working.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in New York, New York
- CDL driver salary in New York, New York
- Best owner-operator companies in New York
How we compile these rankings
Pay carriers in the same market against each other (30% of the score). Add a five-dimension FMCSA safety percentile from SAFER (25%). Score benefits based on whether the carrier hires W2 drivers or contractors (25%). Layer on employer responsiveness and fleet scale (20%). The weights are fixed and public. Updated May 2026.