EL
EXPRESS LINES
Midwest Regional Carrier
(614) 425-1094
Family-Operated · Now Leasing To CDL-A Drivers

You Get Paid
First. Every Friday.

30%
Of Gross — Off The TopYour cut comes out before any deduction

Express Lines is a family-operated Marysville, Ohio carrier. We're not a mega-fleet — we run a tight fleet and treat every lease operator as a partner. Get your percentage of every load straight to your bank account every Friday, before a single deduction comes out. No surprise weeks. No "the truck ate your check" stories. Your money is your money.

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✓ Driver % paid first — every Friday ✓ Late-model truck provided ✓ Refuse loads that don't work for you ✓ Up to 30% of gross — and we honor it
The Express Lines Promise

You Get Paid First. Then The Bills Get Paid.

Most carriers calculate the truck's expenses first and pay you whatever is left. We do the opposite. Every Friday, your percentage of every load goes to your bank account — straight up, no games, no "creative accounting." After your cut clears, the truck's operating expenses (fuel, tolls, maintenance, IFTA, registration, ELD) come out of what's left. The truck pays its own bills. You always get paid.

How A Load Settles At Express Lines
Load Gross
$2,500
Example load · for illustration only
→
1. Your Cut — Paid First
$750
30% direct deposit · Friday · to YOUR bank
→
2. Truck's Expenses
$1,750
Fuel · tolls · maintenance · IFTA · ELD
Your settlement statement itemizes every expense — per 49 CFR 376.12(h). No hidden deductions. Ever.

Your Percentage Grows Over Time

Training Program
15%
Only if road test shows additional training is needed before solo operation
Solo — First 8 Weeks
26% + 2%*
26% to your bank weekly · 2% accrues to retention bonus
After 8 Successful Weeks
28% + 2%*
28% to your bank weekly · 2% accrues to retention bonus
After 1 Full Year
30%
Top tier · Accumulated retention bonus paid out

* The 2% retention bonus accrues weekly and is paid at your one-year anniversary as a lease operator with Express Lines. $1,000 of the payout is held in escrow under 49 CFR 376.12(k) and returned within 45 days when the lease ends in good standing (normal wear-and-tear excepted). Full terms in the written Independent Contractor / Equipment Lease Agreement signed at the start of the lease.

!

The Honest Fine Print

We pay you your percentage off the top of every load — period. The only time additional money would ever come out of your share is if something is on you and on you alone:

  • Damage to the truck caused by negligence, abuse, or failure to follow Express Lines policy (i.e. not normal wear-and-tear)
  • Costs not covered by insurance because of a violation of FMCSA rules or company policy on your part
  • Citations, fines, or penalties issued to you personally for non-compliance

That's it. If you drive professionally and follow the playbook, your weekly check looks the same every week. No guessing, no surprises, no games.

What Express Lines Provides

  • ✓ Late-model truck (leased to you under written agreement)
  • ✓ DOT authority & freight (you run under Express Lines)
  • ✓ Cargo insurance & auto liability (carrier-required coverage)
  • ✓ Dispatch & load assignment (you may refuse loads)
  • ✓ Weekly settlement with full deduction printout

Paid By The Truck (Not You)

  • · Fuel
  • · Repairs & maintenance
  • · Tolls & scales
  • · Lumper fees
  • · Registration, IFTA, ELD / logbook fee
  • · Other operating expenses per lease agreement

These come out of the load's gross AFTER your percentage is paid. Itemized on every weekly settlement per 49 CFR 376.12(h).

Why Operators Choose Express Lines

Run Your Own Business. We Provide The Engine.

💵

Paid First, Paid Friday

Your percentage of every load hits your bank account every Friday — before any expense is deducted. The truck pays its own bills. You always get paid.

📊

No Hidden Deductions

Every weekly settlement itemizes fuel, tolls, maintenance, IFTA, registration, and ELD line by line — required by 49 CFR 376.12(h). No guessing, no "shrinkage."

🚛

Truck Provided

No $150K loan. No down payment. Express Lines provides a late-model truck under a written lease agreement.

📈

Growing Percentage

Start at 26% on solo. Earn your way to 30% by your one-year anniversary. The longer you stay, the more you make.

💰

Year-End Retention Bonus

2% of every load accrues to a retention account. Paid as a lump sum at one year, with $1,000 escrow returned when the lease ends in good standing.

🆗

You Run It Like A Business

Refuse loads that don't work for you. 1099 contractor, you control your operation under our authority and freight pipeline.

Where You'll Run

Midwest Lanes. Predictable Miles.

Based in Marysville, Ohio, we run a tight regional footprint. You'll know your lanes, know your shippers, and know when you're getting home.

  • Ohio — Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo
  • Indiana — Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Gary
  • Michigan — Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing
  • Kentucky — Louisville, Lexington, Northern KY
  • Western PA — Pittsburgh, Erie
  • Service Types — Power-only, timed shuttle, expedited, overnight
Customizable Benefits

Real Benefits, Built For Independent Operators.

As an independent contractor you're not on a corporate W-2 benefits plan — and you shouldn't be paying employee-style markups for coverage you don't need. Express Lines partners with LLOYD Business Services, an Illinois-based benefits broker that specializes in working with trucking companies and owner-operators. They build the package; you pick what fits.

Independent Benefits Broker · Trucking Industry Specialist
❤️

Life Insurance

Term and permanent life policies — pick the coverage that fits your family situation, not a one-size-fits-all plan.

🩺

Health Insurance

Health plan options for you and your family, with consultants who can walk you through what each plan actually covers.

🦺

Accidental & Disability

Coverage for the realities of trucking — accidents on the road, off the road, and short-term disability if you can't drive.

🎁

No-Cost Benefits Package

Vision, dental, prescription, and other day-to-day benefits at no cost through LLOYD's group access. Free is free.

How it works: Once you're onboarded as a lease operator with Express Lines, we connect you directly with a LLOYD consultant. You and the consultant build your benefits package one-on-one — based on your family, your health, and your budget. Express Lines doesn't take a cut, doesn't get a commission, and doesn't see your medical info. You deal direct with LLOYD.

LLOYD Business Services is an independent insurance broker and is not affiliated with or owned by Express Lines LLC. All benefit plans, premiums, and terms are between you and LLOYD / the underlying insurance carriers.

Requirements

What You Need To Roll With Us.

Express Lines hires to FMCSA standards (49 CFR Parts 391 & 382) and to the requirements of our insurance carrier. The list below is the federal minimum — your application is reviewed against Express Lines policy and insurance underwriting on top of it.

Federal & Insurance Minimums

  • Valid Class A CDL
  • Minimum 2 years verifiable commercial driving experience (past employers must confirm)
  • Pass DOT pre-employment background check (MVR, PSP, prior employer verification)
  • Pass DOT pre-employment drug & alcohol screen (49 CFR Part 382)
  • Current DOT medical card
  • Cleared by Express Lines' insurance carrier
  • Authorized to work in the U.S.

What We Look For

  • Ability to operate a tractor-trailer to Express Lines policy and FMCSA standards (verified by road test)
  • Willingness to enter our paid training program (15%) if additional time is needed
  • Honest log discipline — we run by the book
  • Commitment to a one-year tenure to reach top pay tier
Onboarding Process

From Application To Keys — By The Book.

Every operator who leases with Express Lines goes through the same federally-aligned process. We onboard by the book — for your protection, ours, and every shipper we serve.

Application & $35 Fee

Submit the online application with a $35 processing fee. This covers the cost of pulling your MVR and PSP reports — fully refunded if you're accepted and start your lease.

Background & Insurance Review

MVR, PSP, and prior employer verification run first. Our insurance carrier then reviews your record and clears you to operate before we move forward.

DOT Drug Screen

Once insurance clears you, you complete a pre-employment drug & alcohol screen per 49 CFR Part 382.

Road Test & Lease Signing

You drive with us so we confirm operation to Express Lines policy and FMCSA standards. Sign the written lease agreement — go solo at 26%, or join the paid training program at 15%.

$

About The $35 Application Fee

Express Lines is required to pull your Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) and Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) report as part of FMCSA-mandated pre-employment screening. These reports cost money to obtain from state DMVs and FMCSA. The $35 application fee covers those actual costs.

If you are accepted as a lease operator with Express Lines, the $35 is fully refunded to you on your first weekly settlement. If we're unable to accept you, the fee covers what we've already paid the state and FMCSA on your behalf — we don't profit from it.

Apply Now

Start The Lease Application.

Fill in the short form below and we'll reach out to walk you through pre-employment screening, insurance approval, and the road test. No bots — a real person picks up the phone.

Pre-employment background check, DOT drug screen, and insurance approval are required before any road test or lease signing You'll receive the written equipment lease agreement to review before any commitment Prefer to talk first? Call (614) 425-1094

Thanks — your application is in. A recruiter will reach out shortly.
By submitting, you agree Express Lines may contact you by phone, SMS, or email about lease-operator opportunities. Submitting this form is not a lease agreement and creates no obligation on either party.
Takes ~2 minutes
FAQ

Honest Answers To Honest Questions.

Do I really get paid every week — even on slow weeks?

Yes. Your percentage of every load you deliver hits your bank account every Friday, off the top, before any expense is deducted from the gross. The truck pays its own bills out of what's left. The only thing that ever comes out of your cut is something on you and on you alone — truck damage from negligence, fines from a policy violation, costs not covered by insurance because of your error. If you operate professionally and follow Express Lines policy, your weekly deposit is your weekly deposit.

Do I get health insurance and benefits?

Yes — through our partner LLOYD Business Services, an independent benefits broker that specializes in working with trucking companies and owner-operators. After you onboard, we connect you directly with a LLOYD consultant who builds a customized package: health, life, accidental/disability, plus a no-cost benefits bundle (vision, dental, prescription). You deal direct with LLOYD — Express Lines doesn't take a commission and doesn't see your medical info.

What does the $35 application fee cover?

It covers the actual cost of pulling your Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) and Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) report, both of which FMCSA requires us to obtain before bringing on a new operator. If we accept you and you start your lease, the $35 is fully refunded on your first weekly settlement. We don't profit from the fee.

Am I an employee or an independent contractor?

You're an independent contractor (1099) under a written equipment lease agreement governed by 49 CFR Part 376. Express Lines does not withhold federal or state income taxes — you're responsible for your own tax filings and self-employment tax. We strongly recommend you set aside money for taxes each week and consult a tax professional.

How does the percentage pay work?

You earn a percentage of the gross revenue on every load you haul. Your tier depends on your stage with Express Lines: 15% in training, 26% on solo start, 28% after 8 successful weeks, and 30% at one year. Percentage is applied to the load gross before operating expense deductions.

What gets deducted from my weekly settlement?

Fuel, repairs and maintenance, tolls, scales, lumper fees, registration, IFTA, ELD/logbook fee, and other operating expenses are deducted weekly. Every deduction is itemized on your settlement statement per 49 CFR 376.12(h).

What is the 2% retention bonus?

While you're on the 26%/28% tiers, an additional 2% of every load accrues to a retention bonus account. It pays out as a lump sum at your one-year lease anniversary.

What happens if I leave before one year?

If the lease ends before twelve months, the accumulated retention bonus is forfeited to Express Lines. This is disclosed up front and is part of the written lease agreement you sign at onboarding.

What is the $1,000 escrow?

Per 49 CFR 376.12(k), Express Lines holds $1,000 of your one-year bonus payout in an escrow account against any non-normal-wear-and-tear damage to the leased truck. When the lease ends in good standing, the $1,000 is returned within 45 days as required by federal regulation.

Can I refuse a load?

Yes. As an independent contractor you may refuse a load assignment. Express Lines respects your status under 49 CFR Part 376 and federal IC standards.

Can I haul for another carrier while leased to Express Lines?

No. While the leased truck is under agreement with Express Lines, it operates exclusively under our authority. This exclusivity is tied to the equipment lease, not to you personally — standard practice under 49 CFR Part 376 for truck-leased operators.

What if a newer truck becomes available?

If a newer truck comes into the fleet during your lease term, you may have the option to swap into it under a new lease agreement, subject to availability and Express Lines policy.

What is the training program?

If our road test shows you have a CDL but need additional time to operate to Express Lines policy and FMCSA standards, we'll offer a paid training program at 15% of gross. When you complete it successfully, you advance to the 26% solo tier.

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