Updated September 2026
Best Owner-Operator Companies in Urbana, Illinois (September 2026)
Lanefinder is tracking 664 owner-operator carriers in Urbana, Illinois (September 2026). 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. Illinois anchors the US rail and truck network through Chicago, the largest intermodal hub in North America, with I-80 / I-90 / I-55 feeding a dense concentration of manufacturing, warehousing, and cold-chain freight.
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 Urbana, Illinois 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 tops the Urbana, Illinois ranking with the strongest composite score across pay, safety, benefits, and operational signals. Pay sits above the 90th percentile in the Urbana, Illinois market. RAY'S TRANSPORT INC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 87th percentile. Lanefinder's application data flags RAY'S TRANSPORT INC as a responsive employer.
#2WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC — $2,657/wk
WINNERS TRANSPORTATION LLC ranks in the 92nd percentile for driver fitness on FMCSA SAFER data. Application-response data flags this carrier as a responsive employer.
#3LOAD MONSTER INC — $5,125/wk
LOAD MONSTER INC ranks in the 96th percentile for hours-of-service compliance on FMCSA SAFER data. The carrier tracks as a responsive employer on Lanefinder's data.
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 BLUE LIGHTNING LOGISTICS at $7,000/wk, #8 C & G TRANSPORTATION INC at $7,500/wk, #9 AIA TRUCKING INC at $3,450/wk, #10 M&D TRANSPORT at $7,000/wk.
How drivers spend their time on the road in Urbana, Illinois
Of active CDL postings in Urbana, Illinois this month, 10% are regional and 90% are OTR (long-haul). Local and semi-local routes account for the remaining 0%.
Across Urbana, Illinois CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 27% dedicated, 93% take-truck-home, 73% pet-friendly, 70% riders-allowed.
How Urbana, Illinois compares to Illinois
| Urbana, Illinois | Illinois top 50 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average weekly pay | $5,604 | $5,355 | +5% |
| Pet-friendly fleets | 86% | 78% | +8 pt |
| Riders-allowed policies | 88% | 80% | +8 pt |
Source: Lanefinder index, September 2026
Urbana, Illinois's biggest divergence from Illinois is on pet-friendly fleets, 8 points above the state baseline.
Driving CDL in Illinois
Illinois is one of the most strategically located CDL states — Chicago is the largest US intermodal rail hub, so a huge percentage of national freight passes through. The metro lanes pay well but congestion on I-80, I-90, and I-294 is consistent enough to be a real income variable. Outside the Chicago metro, downstate Illinois looks much more like Iowa or Indiana — agricultural freight, less density, easier driving. State income tax is moderate. The winter operational profile is severe: lake-effect snow, road salt, and the freezing-thawing cycle eat equipment faster than most southern states.
Related guides
- Best trucking companies in Urbana, Illinois
- CDL driver salary in Urbana, Illinois
- Best owner-operator companies in Illinois
How we compile these rankings
Lanefinder's ranking algorithm weights compensation at 30%, FMCSA SAFER safety at 25%, benefits at 25%, and operational performance at 20%. Compensation reflects pay percentile plus sign-on bonus, guaranteed pay, and settlement-frequency adjustments. Benefits scoring is hiring-type-aware. Operational performance comes mostly from how carriers handle real driver applications. Updated September 2026.