Freight Shipping from Allentown to St. Louis
Ship freight from Allentown, PA to St. Louis, MO with FMCSA-verified carriers. FTL from $2,219-$2,735, LTL from $768-$1,277. No hidden fees, no re-bills.
Distance
1,032 mi
Drive Time
19 hrs
FTL Rate Est.
$2,219-$2,735
LTL Rate Est.
$768-$1,277
Consumer Goods Corridor
Allentown → St. Louis Lane Market Snapshot
Active Carriers
137–157
running this lane
Weekly Loads
84–101
typical volume
Rate / Mile
$2.17–$2.68
dry van spot
Backhaul Score
70/100
Strong
Steady carrier availability year-round. Expect stable pricing with 5-8% swings during seasonal peaks.
Toll Estimate
$29–$49 one-way passing through PA, MO, KY, VA, OH, IN. 2 typical fuel stops along the corridor.
Book For Best Rates
Best pickup days: Tue, Wed, Thu. Avoid: Sun, Fri PM, Mon AM. Mid-week pickups on this lane typically price 6-11% below weekend-adjacent bookings.
Allentown to St. Louis Freight Corridor
The Lehigh Valley has exploded into one of the East Coast's premier distribution corridors, with over 100 million square feet of warehouse space concentrated along I-78. The region's position — 80 miles from New York City and 60 miles from Philadelphia — makes it the ideal last-mile staging area for the entire Northeast megalopolis. The former Bethlehem Steel site has been transformed into a 3,000-acre logistics and commerce center, symbolizing the Valley's shift from heavy industry to distribution.
St. Louis sits at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, making it a natural multimodal freight hub where barge, rail, and truck converge. Anheuser-Busch's flagship brewery ships millions of cases weekly on dedicated lane networks. Boeing's defense division in north St. Louis County produces F/A-18 and F-15 fighter jets, generating oversize military cargo requiring specialized flatbed carriers.
The Allentown-to-St. Louis corridor spans 1,032 miles via I-78, US-22, I-70, I-64. This lane connects logistics & distribution and food processing freight from the Allentown market to beer & beverage and agriculture & food demand in St. Louis. Carriers running this route regularly maintain competitive rates through strong backhaul availability in both directions.
What Ships from Allentown
Allentown's economy is driven by logistics & distribution, food processing, healthcare, generating consistent outbound freight demand.
consumer packaged goods
cement & concrete products
processed foods
medical supplies
snack foods (Utz)
retail merchandise
What St. Louis Receives
St. Louis's beer & beverage, agriculture & food, defense & aerospace sectors drive strong inbound freight demand from markets like Allentown.
raw grain & barley
aluminum cans & packaging
auto parts
consumer goods
industrial chemicals
retail merchandise
Recommended Equipment
Based on the commodities moving between Allentown and St. Louis, these equipment types best serve this corridor.
Dry Van (FTL)
Ideal for palletized consumer goods, electronics, packaged foods, and general merchandise. Enclosed protection from weather and theft.
$2,219-$2,735 estimated for this lane
Tanker / Hazmat
Specialized equipment for liquid chemicals, petroleum products, and hazardous materials. Requires hazmat-endorsed drivers and placarding compliance.
$3,251-$4,386 estimated for this lane
LTL (Less Than Truckload)
Cost-effective for shipments under 10,000 lbs or fewer than 10 pallets. Shared trailer space with other shippers reduces cost for smaller loads.
$768-$1,277 estimated for this lane
Rate Estimates by Shipping Mode
Estimated rates for the Allentown to St. Louis lane (1,032 miles). Actual rates depend on commodity, weight, season, and equipment.
| Mode | Rate Estimate | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| FTL (Full Truckload) | $2,219-$2,735 | 19 hrs |
| LTL (Less Than Truckload) | $768-$1,277 | 21-23 days |
| Expedited / Hot Shot | $3,354-$4,644 | 13 hrs |
| Intermodal (Rail + Truck) | $1,393-$1,909 | 22-24 days |
Major Shippers on This Corridor
Key freight generators in both Allentown and St. Louis that drive volume on this lane.
FedEx Ground (regional hub)
Amazon ABE Fulfillment
Utz Brands (Hanover)
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Boeing Defense
General Motors (Wentzville)
Shipping Tips for Allentown to St. Louis
Allentown Seasonal Advisory
E-commerce fulfillment drives a massive Q4 surge — Amazon and FedEx Ground ramp seasonal staffing and truck volume by 40-60% from October through December. Cement and construction material shipments peak March through November.
St. Louis Seasonal Advisory
Beer shipments surge before major holidays (Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Super Bowl). Mississippi River flooding in spring can shut down river terminals and divert barge freight to trucks, causing temporary rate spikes.
Consider Team Drivers
At 1,032 miles, this route exceeds single-driver HOS limits. Team drivers can deliver in 19 hours without mandatory 10-hour rest breaks, cutting transit time nearly in half compared to a solo driver.
Book Early for Best Rates
Spot market rates fluctuate daily. Booking 3-5 days in advance typically saves 10-15% compared to same-day or next-day freight requests. For recurring shipments, ask about contract rates.
Logistics Infrastructure
How freight actually flows in and out of Allentown and St. Louis — the warehouses, rail terminals, and highway spines that shape rates on this lane.
Origin
Allentown, PA
- Metro Population
- 860K metro
- Avg Outbound Rate
- $2.00-$2.35/mi
- Key Highways
- I-78, US-22, I-476
- Rail / Intermodal
- Norfolk Southern Bethlehem Intermodal
- Warehouse Districts
- Lehigh Valley Industrial Park (I-78), Upper Macungie Township, Bethlehem Commerce Center (former Steel site)
“Lehigh Valley's warehouse density means carriers can almost always find backhaul loads within 15 minutes of any delivery. The I-78 corridor between Allentown and the New Jersey ports functions as a continuous conveyor belt of import deconsolidation freight.”
Destination
St. Louis, MO
- Metro Population
- 2.8M metro
- Avg Outbound Rate
- $2.10-$2.45/mi
- Key Highways
- I-70, I-64, I-44
- Rail / Intermodal
- BNSF St. Louis Intermodal; UP Dupo Yard; NS Luther Yard
- Port Access
- Port of St. Louis (Mississippi River, 0 mi)
- Warehouse Districts
- Hazelwood/Earth City, Pontoon Beach/I-270 East, Fenton/I-44 Corridor
“St. Louis is one of the few markets where barge-to-truck transloading creates meaningful freight opportunities. Grain and bulk commodities arriving by barge on the Mississippi are transferred to trucks at river terminals for final-mile delivery to processing plants across the Midwest.”
Return Loads from St. Louis
St. Louis generates consistent outbound volume. Backhaul to Allentown is generally available within 2-3 days at 65-78% of forward rate.
Top Backhaul Commodities from St. Louis
Seasonal Rate Patterns
Oct-Dec (retail peak)
+15-22% on dry van, book 2+ weeks out
Jul (auto shutdown)
-8-12% available capacity, predictable
Mar-Oct (construction season)
+8-14% on flatbed
Allentown to St. Louis Freight FAQs
How much does it cost to ship freight from Allentown to St. Louis?
Full truckload (FTL) rates from Allentown, PA to St. Louis, MO currently range $2,219-$2,735 (roughly $2.17-$2.68 per mile over 1,032 miles). LTL shipments typically cost $768-$1,277 depending on freight class, weight, and dimensions. Capacity is currently balanced on this corridor, so booking 3-5 days out locks in the best pricing. Request a custom quote for exact rates.
How long does freight take from Allentown to St. Louis?
Standard FTL transit from Allentown to St. Louis is approximately 19 hrs by truck over 1,032 miles, with 2 typical fuel stops along the corridor. LTL shipments add 2-4 business days due to terminal transfers. Expedited service with team drivers can reduce FTL transit by up to 40%. Intermodal rail-truck service via Norfolk Southern Bethlehem Intermodal to BNSF St. Louis Intermodal takes 5-7 days but offers significant cost savings.
What equipment do I need for Allentown to St. Louis freight?
Equipment choice depends on your commodity. Allentown commonly ships consumer packaged goods, cement & concrete products, processed foods, which typically moves in standard dry van trailers. St. Louis commonly receives raw grain & barley, aluminum cans & packaging, auto parts. Our team matches you with the right equipment type for your specific freight.
Is there good backhaul from St. Louis to Allentown?
Strong backhaul (scored 70/100 based on St. Louis's outbound commodity mix). St. Louis generates consistent outbound volume. Backhaul to Allentown is generally available within 2-3 days at 65-78% of forward rate. St. Louis's top outbound commodities — beer & beverages, processed foods, defense equipment — are the most common return-load categories carriers target.
What commodities move from Allentown to St. Louis?
The Allentown-to-St. Louis corridor handles a diverse freight mix — freight brokers often call this the Consumer Goods Corridor. Allentown's top outbound commodities include consumer packaged goods, cement & concrete products, processed foods, medical supplies, snack foods (Utz), retail merchandise. St. Louis's primary inbound freight includes raw grain & barley, aluminum cans & packaging, auto parts, consumer goods, industrial chemicals, retail merchandise. Industries driving this lane include logistics & distribution and food processing from Allentown and beer & beverage and agriculture & food in St. Louis.
What tolls should I expect on the Allentown to St. Louis route?
Expect roughly $29-$49 in tolls round-trip passing through PA, MO, KY, VA, OH, IN. Most rate quotes either include tolls in the line-haul or bill them as a separate pass-through — ask your dispatcher to confirm which model applies to your lane.
When are rates highest on the Allentown to St. Louis lane?
This lane's rate cycle is tied to logistics & distribution and food processing cycles. Key periods: Oct-Dec (retail peak) (+15-22% on dry van, book 2+ weeks out); Jul (auto shutdown) (-8-12% available capacity, predictable); Mar-Oct (construction season) (+8-14% on flatbed). For the lowest spot rates, ship mid-week (Tue, Wed, Thu) and avoid Sun, Fri PM, Mon AM pickups when possible.
Get Exact Rates for Allentown to St. Louis
We maintain working relationships with 137+ FMCSA-verified carriers running the Allentown–St. Louis corridor. Tell us about your freight and we will match you with one that fits your commodity, timing, and budget. Free quote, no obligation.
Mon-Fri 7AM-7PM CT | No obligation, no contracts