Updated November 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Santa Cruz, California (November 2026)
As of November 2026, 198 carriers in Santa Cruz, California are posting active jobs for owner-operators. 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 Santa Cruz, California. Biggest climb: WLC GROUP INC (#28 → #12). Biggest falls: Always Franklin LLC (#3 → #25) and J & J Oil LLC (#13 → #23). KILO METER LOGISTIC INC (was #9) left the top 50. Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 6 left, and 30 changed rank.
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 |
| BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS | #7 | #8 | Down 1 place |
| HERMES NVC CORP | Not ranked | #9 | New |
| ARCHER HOLDING GROUP | #8 | #10 | Down 2 places |
| ZAIETS TRANSPORTATION LLC | #6 | #11 | Down 5 places |
| WLC GROUP INC | #28 | #12 | Up 16 placesweekly pay up 4.2% ($3,000 → $3,125) |
| SUPERTRANSPORT LLC | #14 | #13 | Up 1 place |
| BIG JOHN EXPEDITED INC | #11 | #14 | Down 3 places |
| ED CARGO INC | #10 | #15 | Down 5 places |
| FOX BROS TRUCKING LLC | #12 | #16 | Down 4 places |
| LEGACY CARGO LLC | #15 | #17 | Down 2 places |
| MEGA TRUCKS INC | #16 | #18 | Down 2 places |
| SUNGOR TRANSPORTATION INC | Not ranked | #19 | New |
| PRESTIGE, | #18 | #21 | Down 3 places |
| EMPIRE NATIONAL INC | #17 | #22 | Down 5 places |
| J & J Oil LLC | #13 | #23 | Down 10 places |
| NY Prime | #19 | #24 | Down 5 places |
| Always Franklin LLC | #3 | #25 | Down 22 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #21 | #26 | Down 5 places |
| NV Transport Inc. | #25 | #27 | Down 2 places |
| US ROADWAY INC | Not ranked | #28 | New |
| OVERLOG INC | #38 | #30 | Up 8 places |
| Milliy Logistics LLC | #27 | #31 | Down 4 places |
| LINESTAR EXPRESS LLC | #26 | #32 | Down 6 places |
| MALAKAND TRANSPORTATION LLC | #30 | #33 | Down 3 places |
| VITAL TRANSPORTATION CORP | #31 | #34 | Down 3 places |
| 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 | #37 | #39 | Down 2 places |
| VIPER FREIGHT LLC | #36 | #40 | Down 4 places |
| BREEZE TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED | #44 | #42 | Up 2 places |
| Safe Line Inc | Not ranked | #44 | New |
| INTEGRA GROUP INC | #42 | #45 | Down 3 places |
| KILO METER LOGISTIC INC | #9 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| A&M CARRIERS INC | #22 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| BLACK EAGLE EXPRESS LLC | #23 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC | #24 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| SAFETY WAY INC | #39 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| Semi Truck Staffing | #40 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| IMG TRUCKING | #45 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Santa Cruz, 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 Santa Cruz, California this month on the composite ranking. The carrier ranks in the 94th percentile for gross weekly revenue in Santa Cruz, California. Top FMCSA dimension here is hours-of-service compliance, in the 98th percentile. MONDO MOTION LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC — $3,025/wk
MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC debuts in the Santa Cruz, California top 50 this month — it wasn't tracked here last month. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 96th percentile. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Santa Cruz, California median.
#3ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC — $6,500/wk
ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC debuts in the Santa Cruz, California top 50 this month — it wasn't tracked here last month. Top FMCSA dimension here is driver fitness, in the 87th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
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 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #9 HERMES NVC CORP at $4,000/wk, #10 ARCHER HOLDING GROUP at $8,000/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Santa Cruz, California
The route mix in Santa Cruz, California this month tilts OTR: 11% regional, 87% OTR, 1% local, 0% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Across Santa Cruz, California CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 39% dedicated, 86% take-truck-home, 68% pet-friendly, 67% riders-allowed.
Where Santa Cruz, California differs from the California baseline
| Santa Cruz, 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 Santa Cruz, 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 Santa Cruz, California
- CDL driver salary in Santa Cruz, California
- Best owner-operator companies in California
How we compile these rankings
Pay carriers against each other within the same market (30%). Layer a weighted FMCSA SAFER safety percentile on top (25%). Score the benefits package against what actually matters for the hiring type — W2 health/financial benefits or owner-op operational perks (25%). Finish with operational performance: responsiveness to driver applications plus fleet scale (20%). All percentiles are recomputed monthly. Updated November 2026.