Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Suffolk, Virginia (May 2026)
574 carriers in Suffolk, Virginia are actively recruiting owner-operators as of May 2026. Each is scored on a composite of compensation, FMCSA safety, benefits, and operational performance. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $5,491 and an average $2,000 sign-on bonus. Performance Trucking Inc follows at $8,000/week gross. Virginia freight is anchored by the Port of Virginia at Norfolk and Hampton Roads, the deepest commercial harbor on the East Coast (55 ft after the Gateway dredging program), with I-95 / I-64 / I-81 truck corridors connecting it to the mid-Atlantic and Southeast markets.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Suffolk, Virginia vs Virginia: the numbers that diverge
| Suffolk, Virginia | Virginia top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $6,356 | $5,367 | +18% |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 88% | 83% | +5 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 88% | 83% | +5 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, May 2026
The largest gap is on average weekly pay: Suffolk, Virginia sits 18% above the Virginia baseline.
Suffolk, Virginia's top owner-operator carriers right now
The top of the list is YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC at $5,491/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC — $5,491/wk
YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC leads the Suffolk, Virginia market on combined gross revenue and ranking score this month. Strongest FMCSA dimension is hours-of-service compliance — 98th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#2Performance Trucking Inc — $8,000/wk
Performance Trucking Inc sits in the 93rd percentile for gross weekly revenue among Suffolk, Virginia carriers. Performance Trucking Inc's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 99th percentile.
#3Zmile Inc — $2,987/wk
Zmile Inc ranks in the 98th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. Driver applications get a faster-than-median response in Suffolk, Virginia.
Also in the top 10: #4 AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC at $2,416/wk, #5 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #6 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #7 TAZ TRUCKING INC at $10,999/wk, #8 INLAND EMPIRE LLC at $7,875/wk, #9 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #10 Red Diamond Freight, LLC at $7,025/wk.
What Suffolk, Virginia drivers actually run
Of active CDL postings in Suffolk, Virginia this month, 8% are regional and 91% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 1%.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 1% of Suffolk, Virginia postings; dedicated routes at 26%; take-truck-home at 94%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 74% and riders-allowed at 72%.
Driving CDL in Virginia
Virginia freight is anchored by the Port of Virginia at Norfolk and Hampton Roads — the deepest commercial harbor on the East Coast and a top-tier US container gateway. The I-95 / I-64 / I-81 truck corridors connect Norfolk to mid-Atlantic and Southeast markets, with I-81 north-south through the Shenandoah Valley a major regional freight spine. Cost of living varies widely (high in Northern Virginia, moderate elsewhere). Virginia has a moderate graduated state income tax. Northern Virginia (DC suburbs) congestion is consistently top-tier; central and western VA is generally easier driving.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Suffolk, Virginia
- CDL driver salary in Suffolk, Virginia
- Best owner-operator companies in Virginia
How we compile these 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 May 2026.