Updated November 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Pasadena, California (November 2026)
Lanefinder tracks 226 owner-operator carriers hiring in Pasadena, California. Rankings below reflect November 2026 data: pay percentiles, FMCSA safety, benefit prevalence, and operational performance. MONDO MOTION LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $9,250. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC follows at $3,025/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 November 2026
MONDO MOTION LLC at #1, MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC at #2, and ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC at #3 are new to the top 50 in Pasadena, California. Biggest climb: WLC GROUP INC (#26 → #12). Biggest falls: Always Franklin LLC (#3 → #25) and J & J Oil LLC (#12 → #22). KILO METER LOGISTIC INC (was #9) left the top 50. Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 6 left, 34 changed rank, and 1 changed pay or benefits.
All changes since October 2026
| Carrier | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MONDO MOTION LLC | Not ranked | #1 | New |
| MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC | Not ranked | #2 | New |
| ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC | Not ranked | #3 | New |
| IKKO LOGISTICS LLC | #1 | #4 | Down 3 places |
| Rickman Transport, LLC | #2 | #5 | Down 3 places |
| GNS TRUCKING INC | #5 | #6 | Down 1 place |
| Ali Star Inc | #4 | #7 | Down 3 places |
| HERMES NVC CORP | Not ranked | #8 | New |
| BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS | #6 | #9 | Down 3 places |
| ARCHER HOLDING GROUP | #8 | #10 | Down 2 places |
| ZAIETS TRANSPORTATION LLC | #7 | #11 | Down 4 places |
| WLC GROUP INC | #26 | #12 | Up 14 placesweekly pay up 4.2% ($3,000 → $3,125) |
| SUNGOR TRANSPORTATION INC | #20 | #14 | Up 6 placesweekly pay up 2.8% ($2,700 → $2,775); added guaranteed pay |
| ED CARGO INC | #10 | #15 | Down 5 places |
| BIG JOHN EXPEDITED INC | #11 | #16 | Down 5 places |
| LEGACY CARGO LLC | #14 | #17 | Down 3 places |
| MEGA TRUCKS INC | #15 | #18 | Down 3 places |
| J & H TRUCKING INC | #18 | #19 | Down 1 place |
| PRESTIGE, | #16 | #20 | Down 4 places |
| EMPIRE NATIONAL INC | #17 | #21 | Down 4 places |
| J & J Oil LLC | #12 | #22 | Down 10 places |
| NY Prime | #19 | #23 | Down 4 places |
| US ROADWAY INC | Not ranked | #24 | New |
| Always Franklin LLC | #3 | #25 | Down 22 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #23 | #26 | Down 3 places |
| NV Transport Inc. | #25 | #27 | Down 2 places |
| COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION LLC | #27 | #28 | Down 1 place |
| OVERLOG INC | Not ranked | #29 | New |
| Milliy Logistics LLC | #28 | #30 | Down 2 places |
| LINESTAR EXPRESS LLC | #29 | #31 | Down 2 places |
| MALAKAND TRANSPORTATION LLC | #30 | #32 | Down 2 places |
| VITAL TRANSPORTATION CORP | #31 | #33 | Down 2 places |
| Safe Line Inc | Not ranked | #34 | New |
| RIVER XPRESS INC | #34 | #36 | Down 2 places |
| LUDA INC | #32 | #37 | Down 5 places |
| EVERY DAY TRUCKING TEAM INC | #33 | #38 | Down 5 places |
| LEADER FREIGHT SYSTEMS | #38 | #39 | Down 1 place |
| VIPER FREIGHT LLC | #37 | #40 | Down 3 places |
| Crossroad Transport Logistics | #40 | #41 | Down 1 place |
| Vectura Inc | #39 | #43 | Down 4 places |
| ARO TRANS LLC | #43 | #44 | Down 1 place |
| INTEGRA GROUP INC | #41 | #45 | Down 4 places |
| KG GROUP LLC | #45 | #46 | Down 1 place |
| HINTON EXPRESS FREIGHT LLC | #46 | #47 | Down 1 place |
| KILO METER LOGISTIC INC | #9 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| A&M CARRIERS INC | #21 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| BLACK EAGLE EXPRESS LLC | #22 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #24 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| SAFETY WAY INC | #36 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| IMG TRUCKING | #44 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| OTRL Recruiting | #47 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Pasadena, California's top owner-operator carriers right now
The top of the list is MONDO MOTION LLC at $9,250/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1MONDO MOTION LLC — $9,250/wk
MONDO MOTION LLC is number-one in Pasadena, California this month on the composite ranking. MONDO MOTION LLC pays above the 90th percentile on gross weekly revenue for the Pasadena, California market. MONDO MOTION LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 98th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Pasadena, California.
#2MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC — $3,025/wk
MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC makes its first-time appearance in Pasadena, California's ranking this month. Strongest FMCSA dimension is driver fitness — 96th percentile. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
#3ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC — $6,500/wk
ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC makes its first-time appearance in Pasadena, California's ranking this month. ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 87th percentile. ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Pasadena, California median.
Also in the top 10: #4 IKKO LOGISTICS LLC at $12,000/wk, #5 Rickman Transport, LLC at $9,250/wk, #6 GNS TRUCKING INC at $9,000/wk, #7 Ali Star Inc at $10,000/wk, #8 HERMES NVC CORP at $4,000/wk, #9 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #10 ARCHER HOLDING GROUP at $8,000/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Pasadena, California
Of active CDL postings in Pasadena, California this month, 11% are regional and 83% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 6%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Pasadena, California postings; dedicated routes at 40%; take-truck-home at 83%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 65% and riders-allowed at 64%.
Pasadena, California vs California: the numbers that diverge
| Pasadena, California | California top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $7,723 | $6,517 | +19% |
| Riders-allowed policies | 80% | 88% | -8 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Among the figures above, average weekly pay is where Pasadena, California differs most from California — 19% above statewide.
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 emissions rules are the strictest in the US, so engine year and compliance matter for fleet work — if you're owner-op, check current CARB rules before buying a truck. Drayage out of LA / Long Beach and warehouse-rotation work in the Inland Empire pay above the national average, but cost of living is brutal. The mountain passes (Grapevine, Donner, plus high winds on Cajon) 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 Pasadena, California
- CDL driver salary in Pasadena, California
- Best owner-operator companies in California
The methodology behind the rankings
Rankings combine four signals: compensation (30%) including pay percentile, sign-on bonuses, guaranteed pay, and settlement frequency; FMCSA safety (25%); benefits (25%) scored differently for W2 vs owner-operator carriers; and operational performance (20%) measuring employer responsiveness and fleet scale. Recomputed monthly from real active job postings. Updated November 2026.