Updated September 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in St. Paul, Minnesota (September 2026)
Through September 2026, 569 carriers in St. Paul, Minnesota contract owner-operators across the lanes Lanefinder tracks. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $8,500 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC follows at $2,657/week gross. St. Paul anchors the eastern Twin Cities on I-94 / I-35E, with the closed Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock (commercial barge navigation ended in 2015), 3M manufacturing generating specialty-chemical freight, and retail distribution for the broader metro.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Where owner-operator pay is strongest in St. Paul, Minnesota this month
The top of the list is RAY'S TRANSPORT INC at $8,500/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1RAY'S TRANSPORT INC — $8,500/wk
RAY'S TRANSPORT INC leads the St. Paul, Minnesota market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC's gross weekly revenue ranks in the 94th percentile across St. Paul, Minnesota. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC ranks in the 87th percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC tracks as a responsive employer on application-response data.
#2WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC — $2,657/wk
WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 92nd percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC as a responsive employer.
#3LOAD MONSTER INC — $5,125/wk
LOAD MONSTER INC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 96th percentile. LOAD MONSTER INC responds to driver applications more reliably than the St. Paul, Minnesota median.
Also in the top 10: #4 WESTERN MOUNTAIN TRANSPORT INC at $8,750/wk, #5 TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC at $6,250/wk, #6 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #7 Ali Star Inc at $10,000/wk, #8 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #9 C & G TRANSPORTATION INC at $7,500/wk, #10 AIA TRUCKING INC at $3,450/wk.
What St. Paul, Minnesota drivers actually run
Of active CDL postings in St. Paul, Minnesota this month, 7% are regional and 93% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 0%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of St. Paul, Minnesota postings; dedicated routes at 28%; take-truck-home at 92%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 74% and riders-allowed at 71%.
St. Paul, Minnesota vs Minnesota: the numbers that diverge
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: St. Paul, Minnesota sits 7% above the Minnesota baseline.
Driving CDL in Minnesota
Minnesota freight moves on the I-35 / I-94 Twin Cities grid and reaches the Great Lakes at Duluth, a significant Lake Superior port. Agricultural exports — soybeans, corn, wheat — drive heavy outbound volume. A significant medical-device manufacturing sector (Medtronic and others) generates high-value freight. Winter is the dominant operational variable: sub-zero stretches affect equipment, idle-time policy, and HOS realism. Minnesota has a high graduated state income tax — among the higher rates in the country. The Twin Cities have unusually-designed truck-restricted bridges; first-time runs should consult routing notes carefully.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in St. Paul, Minnesota
- CDL driver salary in St. Paul, Minnesota
- Best owner-operator companies in Minnesota
How we compile these rankings
Compensation (30%): pay percentile + sign-on bonus + guaranteed pay + settlement frequency. FMCSA safety (25%): weighted percentile across vehicle maintenance, unsafe driving, hours-of-service, driver fitness, and controlled substances. Benefits (25%): hiring-type-aware. Operational (20%): driver-application responsiveness, modulated by fleet scale. Updated September 2026.