Freight Shipping from Jacksonville to Little Rock
Ship freight from Jacksonville, FL to Little Rock, AR with FMCSA-verified carriers. FTL from $1,929-$2,377, LTL from $693-$1,162. No hidden fees, no re-bills.
Distance
897 mi
Drive Time
16 hrs
FTL Rate Est.
$1,929-$2,377
LTL Rate Est.
$693-$1,162
Energy & Chemicals Route
Jacksonville → Little Rock Lane Market Snapshot
Active Carriers
127–148
running this lane
Weekly Loads
84–99
typical volume
Rate / Mile
$2.16–$2.67
dry van spot
Backhaul Score
81/100
Excellent
High-demand corridor. Spot rates move quickly during peak weeks. Contract lanes typically lock in 8-12% below spot.
Toll Estimate
$11–$19 one-way passing through FL, AR, SC, NC. 2 typical fuel stops along the corridor.
Book For Best Rates
Best pickup days: Mon, Tue, Wed. Avoid: Sun, Fri PM, Mon AM. Mid-week pickups on this lane typically price 6-11% below weekend-adjacent bookings.
Jacksonville to Little Rock Freight Corridor
Jacksonville is where the Southeast's freight arteries converge. As CSX's headquarters city and the junction of I-95 and I-10, Jax controls rail and truck freight flows between the entire Eastern Seaboard and the Gulf Coast. JAXPORT is the #1 vehicle-import port in the US, processing over 700,000 vehicles annually that Southeast Toyota and other distributors truck to dealerships across the Southeast. The city's geographic position makes it the ideal repositioning hub for carriers running Florida's north-south lanes.
Little Rock benefits from its central US location at the junction of I-40 and I-30, putting it within a day's drive of Dallas, Memphis, Kansas City, and St. Louis. The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System connects the metro to inland barge traffic, creating intermodal opportunities for bulk shippers. The North Little Rock rail yards are among the busiest in the mid-South, with UP and BNSF both running major classification operations.
The Jacksonville-to-Little Rock corridor spans 897 miles via I-95, I-10, I-40, I-30. This lane connects logistics & distribution and automotive import processing freight from the Jacksonville market to food processing and steel manufacturing demand in Little Rock. Carriers running this route regularly maintain competitive rates through strong backhaul availability in both directions.
What Ships from Jacksonville
Jacksonville's economy is driven by logistics & distribution, automotive import processing, financial services, generating consistent outbound freight demand.
imported vehicles
paper & pulp products
containerized goods
lumber
phosphate
citrus products
What Little Rock Receives
Little Rock's food processing, steel manufacturing, defense sectors drive strong inbound freight demand from markets like Jacksonville.
raw steel
consumer goods
agricultural chemicals
petroleum products
packaging materials
retail merchandise
Recommended Equipment
Based on the commodities moving between Jacksonville and Little Rock, 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.
$1,929-$2,377 estimated for this lane
Refrigerated (Reefer)
Required for temperature-sensitive freight including fresh produce, dairy, frozen foods, pharmaceuticals, and beverages. Maintains precise temperature control throughout transit.
$2,377-$3,005 estimated for this lane
Flatbed
Best for steel, lumber, machinery, building materials, and oversized loads that cannot be palletized or loaded through standard dock doors.
$2,556-$3,274 estimated for this lane
Tanker / Hazmat
Specialized equipment for liquid chemicals, petroleum products, and hazardous materials. Requires hazmat-endorsed drivers and placarding compliance.
$2,826-$3,812 estimated for this lane
Rate Estimates by Shipping Mode
Estimated rates for the Jacksonville to Little Rock lane (897 miles). Actual rates depend on commodity, weight, season, and equipment.
| Mode | Rate Estimate | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| FTL (Full Truckload) | $1,929-$2,377 | 16 hrs |
| LTL (Less Than Truckload) | $693-$1,162 | 18-20 days |
| Expedited / Hot Shot | $2,915-$4,037 | 11 hrs |
| Intermodal (Rail + Truck) | $1,211-$1,659 | 19-21 days |
Major Shippers on This Corridor
Key freight generators in both Jacksonville and Little Rock that drive volume on this lane.
CSX Transportation (HQ)
Southeast Toyota Distributors
Johnson & Johnson Vision
Dillard's (HQ)
Welspun Tubular
L'Oreal Manufacturing
Shipping Tips for Jacksonville to Little Rock
Jacksonville Seasonal Advisory
Vehicle import volume peaks in spring (new model year distribution) and fall. Hurricane season can temporarily disrupt port operations. Snowbird migration (October-November) drives a surge in household goods shipments headed to Central and South Florida.
Little Rock Seasonal Advisory
Rice harvest (August-October) drives bulk and hopper trailer demand. Post-Thanksgiving through Christmas, Dillard's distribution network creates retail surge freight on lanes to the Southeast and Midwest.
Overnight Transit
This 897-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 Jacksonville and Little Rock — the warehouses, rail terminals, and highway spines that shape rates on this lane.
Origin
Jacksonville, FL
- Metro Population
- 1.6M metro
- Avg Outbound Rate
- $2.15-$2.50/mi
- Key Highways
- I-95, I-10, I-295
- Rail / Intermodal
- CSX Jacksonville Intermodal (JAXPORT area); NS Jacksonville Terminal
- Port Access
- JAXPORT (0 mi)
- Warehouse Districts
- Westside/I-10 Corridor, Northside/JAXPORT area, Imeson Industrial Park
“Jacksonville is the re-positioning capital of Florida freight. Carriers dropping loads in Miami or Tampa routinely deadhead to Jax to grab northbound I-95 loads rather than searching for scarce outbound freight in South Florida.”
Destination
Little Rock, AR
- Metro Population
- 748K metro
- Avg Outbound Rate
- $1.95-$2.25/mi
- Key Highways
- I-40, I-30, I-440
- Rail / Intermodal
- UP North Little Rock Yard; BNSF Little Rock Intermodal
- Port Access
- Port of Little Rock/McClellan-Kerr Waterway (5 mi)
- Warehouse Districts
- North Little Rock/I-40, Port of Little Rock Industrial Park
“Arkansas's poultry industry (Tyson, Simmons) generates thousands of reefer loads weekly from processing plants within 100 miles of Little Rock. Savvy carriers position in Little Rock to grab these loads at premium rates during summer grilling season.”
Return Loads from Little Rock
Little Rock is a strong outbound freight market. Carriers returning to Jacksonville typically secure backhaul within 24-48 hours, often at 75-85% of the forward rate.
Top Backhaul Commodities from Little Rock
Seasonal Rate Patterns
May-Aug (produce season)
+12-18% on reefer capacity
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
Jacksonville to Little Rock Freight FAQs
How much does it cost to ship freight from Jacksonville to Little Rock?
Full truckload (FTL) rates from Jacksonville, FL to Little Rock, AR currently range $1,929-$2,377 (roughly $2.16-$2.67 per mile over 897 miles). LTL shipments typically cost $693-$1,162 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 Jacksonville to Little Rock?
Standard FTL transit from Jacksonville to Little Rock is approximately 16 hrs by truck over 897 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 CSX Jacksonville Intermodal (JAXPORT area) to UP North Little Rock Yard takes 5-7 days but offers significant cost savings.
What equipment do I need for Jacksonville to Little Rock freight?
Equipment choice depends on your commodity. Jacksonville commonly ships imported vehicles, paper & pulp products, containerized goods, which typically moves in standard dry van trailers. Little Rock commonly receives raw steel, consumer goods, agricultural chemicals. Our team matches you with the right equipment type for your specific freight.
Is there good backhaul from Little Rock to Jacksonville?
Excellent backhaul (scored 81/100 based on Little Rock's outbound commodity mix). Little Rock is a strong outbound freight market. Carriers returning to Jacksonville typically secure backhaul within 24-48 hours, often at 75-85% of the forward rate. Little Rock's top outbound commodities — processed poultry, steel products, rice & grains — are the most common return-load categories carriers target.
What commodities move from Jacksonville to Little Rock?
The Jacksonville-to-Little Rock corridor handles a diverse freight mix — freight brokers often call this the Energy & Chemicals Route. Jacksonville's top outbound commodities include imported vehicles, paper & pulp products, containerized goods, lumber, phosphate, citrus products. Little Rock's primary inbound freight includes raw steel, consumer goods, agricultural chemicals, petroleum products, packaging materials, retail merchandise. Industries driving this lane include logistics & distribution and automotive import processing from Jacksonville and food processing and steel manufacturing in Little Rock.
When are rates highest on the Jacksonville to Little Rock lane?
This lane's rate cycle is tied to logistics & distribution and automotive import processing cycles. Key periods: May-Aug (produce season) (+12-18% on reefer capacity); 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 (Mon, Tue, Wed) and avoid Sun, Fri PM, Mon AM pickups when possible.
Get Exact Rates for Jacksonville to Little Rock
We maintain working relationships with 127+ FMCSA-verified carriers running the Jacksonville–Little Rock 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