Updated November 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Santa Maria, California (November 2026)
Lanefinder's index counts 197 active owner-operator carriers in Santa Maria, California this November 2026. 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 Maria, California. Biggest climb: WLC GROUP INC (#27 → #12). Biggest falls: Always Franklin LLC (#3 → #25) and J & J Oil LLC (#12 → #22). KILO METER LOGISTIC INC (was #8) left the top 50. Elsewhere in the top 50, 4 carriers joined, 6 left, and 38 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 | #9 | #10 | Down 1 place |
| ZAIETS TRANSPORTATION LLC | #6 | #11 | Down 5 places |
| WLC GROUP INC | #27 | #12 | Up 15 placesweekly pay up 4.2% ($3,000 → $3,125) |
| SUPERTRANSPORT LLC | #15 | #13 | Up 2 places |
| BIG JOHN EXPEDITED INC | #11 | #14 | Down 3 places |
| ED CARGO INC | #10 | #15 | Down 5 places |
| FOX BROS TRUCKING LLC | #13 | #16 | Down 3 places |
| LEGACY CARGO LLC | #14 | #17 | Down 3 places |
| MEGA TRUCKS INC | #16 | #18 | Down 2 places |
| SUNGOR TRANSPORTATION INC | Not ranked | #19 | New |
| J & H TRUCKING INC | #19 | #20 | Down 1 place |
| PRESTIGE, | #17 | #21 | Down 4 places |
| J & J Oil LLC | #12 | #22 | Down 10 places |
| COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION LLC | #25 | #23 | Up 2 places |
| NY Prime | #18 | #24 | Down 6 places |
| Always Franklin LLC | #3 | #25 | Down 22 places |
| NV Transport Inc. | #24 | #26 | Down 2 places |
| ALBA TRANS INC | #20 | #27 | Down 7 places |
| US ROADWAY INC | Not ranked | #28 | New |
| OVERLOG INC | #37 | #29 | Up 8 places |
| Milliy Logistics LLC | #28 | #30 | Down 2 places |
| EMPIRE NATIONAL INC | #29 | #31 | Down 2 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 |
| GOLDWAY EXPRESS INC | #33 | #35 | Down 2 places |
| RIVER XPRESS INC | #35 | #36 | Down 1 place |
| LUDA INC | #34 | #37 | Down 3 places |
| EVERY DAY TRUCKING TEAM INC | #32 | #38 | Down 6 places |
| LEADER FREIGHT SYSTEMS | #38 | #39 | Down 1 place |
| VIPER FREIGHT LLC | #36 | #40 | Down 4 places |
| Crossroad Transport Logistics | #40 | #41 | Down 1 place |
| BREEZE TRANSPORTATION INCORPORATED | #43 | #42 | Up 1 place |
| ARO TRANS LLC | #42 | #43 | Down 1 place |
| Safe Line Inc | Not ranked | #44 | New |
| 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 |
| JEJ Transport & Logistics Inc | #47 | #48 | Down 1 place |
| KILO METER LOGISTIC INC | #8 | 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 | #23 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| SAFETY WAY INC | #39 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| IMG TRUCKING | #44 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
| OTRL Recruiting | #48 | Not ranked | Dropped out |
Where owner-operator pay is strongest in Santa Maria, California this month
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 leads the Santa Maria, California market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. Gross weekly revenue here lands in the 94th percentile across Santa Maria, California. MONDO MOTION 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.
#2MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC — $3,025/wk
MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC is new to the Santa Maria, California top 50 this month — first appearance in this ranking. On driver fitness, the carrier ranks in the 96th percentile per FMCSA SAFER data. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Santa Maria, California.
#3ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC — $6,500/wk
ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC makes its first-time appearance in Santa Maria, California's ranking this month. Strongest FMCSA dimension is driver fitness — 87th percentile. ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
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.
What Santa Maria, California drivers actually run
Of active CDL postings in Santa Maria, California this month, 11% are regional and 88% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 1%.
Across Santa Maria, California CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 39% dedicated, 85% take-truck-home, 66% pet-friendly, 66% riders-allowed.
Santa Maria, California vs California: the numbers that diverge
| Santa Maria, California | California top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $7,730 | $6,517 | +19% |
| Riders-allowed policies | 80% | 88% | -8 pt |
| Dedicated routes | 40% | 46% | -6 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Santa Maria, California sits 19% above the California baseline.
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 Maria, California
- CDL driver salary in Santa Maria, California
- Best owner-operator companies in California
Where this data comes from
Compensation is the largest single weight at 30% — pay percentile, sign-on bonus, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement cadence. FMCSA safety contributes 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions with unsafe-driving and hours-of-service weighted 2× heavier. Benefits contribute 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator and 1099 carriers. Operational performance — application responsiveness and fleet scale — contributes 20%. Updated November 2026.