Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Salem, Massachusetts (May 2026)
Salem, Massachusetts, May 2026: 496 active owner-operator carriers. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $4,612 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. Zmile Inc follows at $3,750/week gross. Massachusetts freight runs on the I-90 / I-93 / I-95 metro grid through Boston, with Port of Boston handling bulk and container cargo and a major concentration of biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturing requiring cold-chain and hazmat lanes.
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 Salem, Massachusetts this month
The top of the list is YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC at $4,612/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC — $4,612/wk
YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC is number-one in Salem, Massachusetts 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 Salem, Massachusetts median.
#2Zmile Inc — $3,750/wk
Zmile Inc ranks in the 98th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#3AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,416/wk
Lanefinder's application data flags AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC as a responsive employer. AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC guarantees weekly pay — useful when freight slows down.
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC stands alone in Salem, Massachusetts's top 10 on guaranteed pay — every other ranked carrier here pays per-mile or per-load.
Also in the top 10: #4 TAZ TRUCKING INC at $10,999/wk, #5 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #6 INLAND EMPIRE LLC at $7,875/wk, #7 Rickman Transport, LLC at $9,250/wk, #8 Ali Star Inc at $10,000/wk, #9 GNS TRUCKING INC at $9,000/wk, #10 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Salem, Massachusetts
The route mix in Salem, Massachusetts this month tilts OTR: 8% regional, 91% OTR, 0% local, 2% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Salem, Massachusetts CDL postings: 1% with guaranteed pay, 28% dedicated, 93% take-truck-home, 74% pet-friendly, 71% riders-allowed.
Where Salem, Massachusetts differs from the Massachusetts baseline
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Salem, Massachusetts sits 7% above the Massachusetts baseline.
Driving CDL in Massachusetts
Massachusetts freight runs on the I-90 / I-93 / I-95 grid through Boston, with the Port of Boston handling bulk and container cargo. A dense biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturing cluster around Cambridge / Boston / Worcester requires cold-chain and hazmat-eligible lanes. The Big Dig tunnels have truck-height and hazmat restrictions worth checking before routing. Boston congestion is consistently in the worst US tier. Cost of living is among the highest nationally. Massachusetts has a moderate flat state income tax with an added surtax on very high incomes (not relevant for most drivers).
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Salem, Massachusetts
- CDL driver salary in Salem, Massachusetts
- Best owner-operator companies in Massachusetts
Where this data comes from
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.