Updated November 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Santa Monica, California (November 2026)
222 carriers in Santa Monica, California are actively recruiting owner-operators as of November 2026. Each is scored on a composite of compensation, FMCSA safety, benefits, 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 Santa Monica, California. Biggest climb: WLC GROUP INC (#26 → #12). Biggest fall: Always Franklin LLC (#3 → #25). KILO METER LOGISTIC INC (was #9) left the top 50. Elsewhere in the top 50, 5 carriers joined, 7 left, and 31 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 |
| HERMES NVC CORP | Not ranked | #8 | New |
| BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS | #7 | #9 | Down 2 places |
| ARCHER HOLDING GROUP | #8 | #10 | Down 2 places |
| ZAIETS TRANSPORTATION LLC | #6 | #11 | Down 5 places |
| WLC GROUP INC | #26 | #12 | Up 14 placesweekly pay up 4.2% ($3,000 → $3,125) |
| SUPERTRANSPORT LLC | #14 | #13 | Up 1 place |
| SUNGOR TRANSPORTATION INC | Not ranked | #14 | New |
| ED CARGO INC | #10 | #15 | Down 5 places |
| BIG JOHN EXPEDITED INC | #11 | #16 | Down 5 places |
| LEGACY CARGO LLC | #15 | #17 | Down 2 places |
| MEGA TRUCKS INC | #16 | #18 | Down 2 places |
| PRESTIGE, | #18 | #20 | Down 2 places |
| EMPIRE NATIONAL INC | #17 | #21 | Down 4 places |
| J & J Oil LLC | #13 | #22 | Down 9 places |
| NY Prime | #20 | #23 | Down 3 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 | #28 | Down 3 places |
| OVERLOG INC | #38 | #29 | Up 9 places |
| 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 |
| VIPER FREIGHT LLC | #37 | #40 | Down 3 places |
| Vectura Inc | Not ranked | #43 | New |
| ARO TRANS LLC | #43 | #44 | Down 1 place |
| INTEGRA GROUP INC | #40 | #45 | Down 5 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 |
| FOX BROS TRUCKING LLC | #12 | 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 |
Santa Monica, 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 Monica, California this month on the composite ranking. MONDO MOTION LLC pays above the 90th percentile on gross weekly revenue for the Santa Monica, California market. MONDO MOTION LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 98th percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags MONDO MOTION LLC as a responsive employer.
#2MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC — $3,025/wk
MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC makes its first-time appearance in Santa Monica, California's ranking this month. Strongest FMCSA dimension is driver fitness — 96th percentile. MAYBACH INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#3ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC — $6,500/wk
ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC makes its first-time appearance in Santa Monica, California's ranking this month. ROLLING ON WHEELS LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 87th percentile. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Santa Monica, California.
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.
What Santa Monica, California drivers actually run
The route mix in Santa Monica, California this month tilts OTR: 11% regional, 84% OTR, 4% local, 1% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Santa Monica, California postings; dedicated routes at 40%; take-truck-home at 84%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 64% and riders-allowed at 64%.
Where Santa Monica, California differs from the California baseline
| Santa Monica, California | California top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $7,725 | $6,517 | +19% |
| Riders-allowed policies | 80% | 88% | -8 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, November 2026
Santa Monica, California's biggest divergence from California is on average weekly pay, 19% above the state 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 Monica, California
- CDL driver salary in Santa Monica, California
- Best owner-operator companies in California
The methodology behind the rankings
Carriers are scored against carriers in their own market. The composite is 30% compensation (pay + bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement cadence), 25% FMCSA safety, 25% benefits (W2 vs owner-op scoring), and 20% operational performance (responsiveness + fleet scale). No paid placement — the weights are the same for every carrier in the index. Updated November 2026.