Freight Shipping from Dallas to St. Louis
Ship freight from Dallas, TX to St. Louis, MO with FMCSA-verified carriers. FTL from $1,531-$1,887, LTL from $592-$1,005. No hidden fees, no re-bills.
Distance
712 mi
Drive Time
13 hrs
FTL Rate Est.
$1,531-$1,887
LTL Rate Est.
$592-$1,005
Fresh Food Lane
Dallas → St. Louis Lane Market Snapshot
Active Carriers
168–183
running this lane
Weekly Loads
232–248
typical volume
Rate / Mile
$2.16–$2.67
dry van spot
Backhaul Score
72/100
Strong
High-demand corridor. Spot rates move quickly during peak weeks. Contract lanes typically lock in 8-12% below spot.
Toll Estimate
$7–$12 one-way passing through TX, MO, TN, AR, OK. 1 typical fuel stop 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.
Dallas to St. Louis Freight Corridor
Dallas is the economic engine of the DFW metroplex, housing more Fortune 500 corporate headquarters than any city except New York. Texas Instruments and the Telecom Corridor in Richardson generate a constant flow of high-value electronics freight, while the South Dallas warehouse district contains over 150 million square feet of distribution space. The city's central location means a truck leaving Dallas can reach 93% of the U.S. population within 48 hours.
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 Dallas-to-St. Louis corridor spans 712 miles via I-35E, I-30, I-70, I-64. This lane connects technology and telecommunications freight from the Dallas 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 Dallas
Dallas's economy is driven by technology, telecommunications, financial services, generating consistent outbound freight demand.
electronics (Texas Instruments)
telecommunications equipment
consumer packaged goods
processed foods
defense systems
e-commerce shipments
What St. Louis Receives
St. Louis's beer & beverage, agriculture & food, defense & aerospace sectors drive strong inbound freight demand from markets like Dallas.
raw grain & barley
aluminum cans & packaging
auto parts
consumer goods
industrial chemicals
retail merchandise
Recommended Equipment
Based on the commodities moving between Dallas 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.
$1,531-$1,887 estimated for this lane
Tanker / Hazmat
Specialized equipment for liquid chemicals, petroleum products, and hazardous materials. Requires hazmat-endorsed drivers and placarding compliance.
$2,243-$3,026 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.
$592-$1,005 estimated for this lane
Rate Estimates by Shipping Mode
Estimated rates for the Dallas to St. Louis lane (712 miles). Actual rates depend on commodity, weight, season, and equipment.
| Mode | Rate Estimate | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| FTL (Full Truckload) | $1,531-$1,887 | 13 hrs |
| LTL (Less Than Truckload) | $592-$1,005 | 15-17 days |
| Expedited / Hot Shot | $2,314-$3,204 | 9 hrs |
| Intermodal (Rail + Truck) | $961-$1,317 | 16-18 days |
Major Shippers on This Corridor
Key freight generators in both Dallas and St. Louis that drive volume on this lane.
Texas Instruments (HQ)
AT&T (HQ)
Amazon DFW Fulfillment Network
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Boeing Defense
General Motors (Wentzville)
Shipping Tips for Dallas to St. Louis
Dallas Seasonal Advisory
E-commerce fulfillment peaks massively during Q4 holidays. Construction freight is year-round due to DFW's unrelenting building boom. Texas Instruments production runs consistently but new product cycles create periodic shipping surges.
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.
Overnight Transit
This 712-mile route typically requires one overnight stop for a solo driver. Schedule pickup before noon for next-day delivery in most cases.
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 Dallas and St. Louis — the warehouses, rail terminals, and highway spines that shape rates on this lane.
Origin
Dallas, TX
- Metro Population
- 7.6M metro (DFW)
- Avg Outbound Rate
- $2.00-$2.35/mi
- Key Highways
- I-35E, I-30, I-635 (LBJ)
- Rail / Intermodal
- BNSF Alliance Intermodal (Fort Worth); Union Pacific Mesquite Intermodal; BNSF Wilmer Intermodal
- Warehouse Districts
- South Dallas/I-20 Corridor, Mesquite/I-30 East, Garland/I-635 Northeast
“Dallas's massive inbound-to-outbound imbalance — driven by the region's explosive population growth — means carriers delivering to DFW can almost always find loads out. The challenge is finding loads that pay well enough to justify the outbound leg, especially southbound to Houston where competition is fierce.”
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 Dallas 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
Dallas to St. Louis Freight FAQs
How much does it cost to ship freight from Dallas to St. Louis?
Full truckload (FTL) rates from Dallas, TX to St. Louis, MO currently range $1,531-$1,887 (roughly $2.16-$2.67 per mile over 712 miles). LTL shipments typically cost $592-$1,005 depending on freight class, weight, and dimensions. Capacity is currently tight 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 Dallas to St. Louis?
Standard FTL transit from Dallas to St. Louis is approximately 13 hrs by truck over 712 miles, with 1 typical fuel stop 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 BNSF Alliance Intermodal (Fort Worth) to BNSF St. Louis Intermodal takes 5-7 days but offers significant cost savings.
What equipment do I need for Dallas to St. Louis freight?
Equipment choice depends on your commodity. Dallas commonly ships electronics (Texas Instruments), telecommunications equipment, consumer packaged goods, 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 Dallas?
Strong backhaul (scored 72/100 based on St. Louis's outbound commodity mix). St. Louis generates consistent outbound volume. Backhaul to Dallas 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 Dallas to St. Louis?
The Dallas-to-St. Louis corridor handles a diverse freight mix — freight brokers often call this the Fresh Food Lane. Dallas's top outbound commodities include electronics (Texas Instruments), telecommunications equipment, consumer packaged goods, processed foods, defense systems, e-commerce shipments. 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 technology and telecommunications from Dallas and beer & beverage and agriculture & food in St. Louis.
When are rates highest on the Dallas to St. Louis lane?
This lane's rate cycle is tied to technology and telecommunications cycles. Key periods: Oct-Dec (retail peak) (+15-22% on dry van, book 2+ weeks out); Jul (auto shutdown) (-8-12% available capacity, predictable). 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 Dallas to St. Louis
We maintain working relationships with 168+ FMCSA-verified carriers running the Dallas–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.
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