Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Ohio (May 2026)
In Ohio as of May 2026, 769 carriers are actively hiring owner-operators. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $5,491 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC follows at $2,500/week gross. Ohio sits at the center of the US manufacturing belt, with I-70 / I-71 / I-75 forming a freight grid through Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati and major automotive, steel, and chemical supply chains driving consistent lane demand.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
The owner-operator carriers leading Ohio 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 is number-one in Ohio this month on the composite ranking. On hours-of-service compliance, the carrier ranks in the 98th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Ohio median.
#2AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,500/wk
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data. AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC guarantees weekly pay — useful when freight slows down.
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC stands alone in Ohio's top 10 on guaranteed pay — every other ranked carrier here pays per-mile or per-load.
#3Performance Trucking Inc — $8,000/wk
Performance Trucking Inc pays above the 89th percentile on gross weekly revenue for the Ohio market. Performance Trucking Inc ranks in the 99th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data.
Also in the top 10: #4 B & T EXPRESS INC at $6,750/wk, #5 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #6 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #7 INLAND EMPIRE LLC at $7,875/wk, #8 SWEET EXPRESS LLC at $8,500/wk, #9 POPE TRANSPORT INC at $7,000/wk, #10 Freight X LLC at $6,000/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Ohio
Of active CDL postings in Ohio this month, 14% are regional and 82% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 4%.
Across Ohio CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 28% dedicated, 91% take-truck-home, 71% pet-friendly, 67% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in Ohio
Ohio sits at the center of the US manufacturing belt and runs about as much through-freight as any state. I-70, I-71, I-75, and the Ohio Turnpike form a freight grid that's flat, generally well-maintained, and forgiving for newer drivers — Ohio is one of the better states to gain initial OTR experience. The Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati metros each anchor distinct lane profiles (auto, distribution, and pharmaceutical respectively). Winter operational risk is real — lake-effect off Erie, freezing rain in the central part of the state — but less extreme than the Great Plains states. Ohio cost of living is below the national average, which makes the income math work better than the headline pay numbers suggest.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Ohio
- CDL driver salary in Ohio
- Best owner-operator companies in the United States
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.