Updated May 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Tennessee (May 2026)
Tennessee, May 2026: 848 active owner-operator carriers. TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC leads with an average gross weekly revenue of $4,500. YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC follows at $5,491/week gross. Tennessee is a critical national freight crossroads: Memphis hosts the FedEx global air hub and a major trucking interchange on I-40 / I-55, while Nashville-area automotive and manufacturing plants drive dense I-65 / I-24 lane activity.
What changed in May 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
The owner-operator carriers leading Tennessee this month
The top of the list is TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC at $4,500/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC — $4,500/wk
TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC tops the Tennessee ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 97th percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags TITANIUM AMERICAN TRUCKING INC as a responsive employer.
#2YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC — $5,491/wk
YANKEE FREIGHT SYSTEMS LLC's FMCSA score is strongest on hours-of-service compliance — 98th percentile. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#3AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC — $2,500/wk
AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC responds to driver applications more reliably than the Tennessee median. The comp package includes a guaranteed-pay structure — useful when freight slows.
Among Tennessee's top 10, only AD EXPRESS TRUCKING LLC pays guaranteed weekly wages — useful if route variance matters.
Also in the top 10: #4 Performance Trucking Inc at $8,000/wk, #5 Zmile Inc at $2,175/wk, #6 D-LINE TRUCKING INC at $5,750/wk, #7 WIDER GROUP INC at $6,250/wk, #8 INLAND EMPIRE LLC at $7,875/wk, #9 Freight X LLC at $6,000/wk, #10 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk.
What Tennessee drivers actually run
The route mix in Tennessee this month tilts OTR: 15% regional, 82% OTR, 1% local, 2% semi-local — drawn from active postings, not historical surveys.
Guaranteed pay is on offer at 2% of Tennessee postings; dedicated routes at 27%; take-truck-home at 91%. Pet-friendly policies appear at 70% and riders-allowed at 68%.
Driving CDL in Tennessee
Tennessee is a critical national freight crossroads: Memphis hosts the FedEx Express World Hub — one of the world's largest air cargo hubs by tonnage — and a major trucking interchange on I-40 / I-55, with the nightly sort cycle generating enormous regional dispatch demand. Nashville-area automotive (Nissan Smyrna) and manufacturing drive dense I-65 / I-24 lane activity. Cost of living is below the national average; Tennessee has no state income tax on wages. East TN (Chattanooga, Knoxville) is mountain-adjacent — I-40 east through the Smokies and I-24 across Monteagle pass have real winter weight.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Tennessee
- CDL driver salary in Tennessee
- Best owner-operator companies in the United States
The methodology behind the rankings
Pay carriers in the same market against each other (30% of the score). Add a five-dimension FMCSA safety percentile from SAFER (25%). Score benefits based on whether the carrier hires W2 drivers or contractors (25%). Layer on employer responsiveness and fleet scale (20%). The weights are fixed and public. Updated May 2026.