Freight Shipping from Joliet to Fort Worth
Ship freight from Joliet, IL to Fort Worth, TX with FMCSA-verified carriers. FTL from $2,210-$2,724, LTL from $765-$1,274. No hidden fees, no re-bills.
Distance
1,028 mi
Drive Time
19 hrs
FTL Rate Est.
$2,210-$2,724
LTL Rate Est.
$765-$1,274
Fresh Food Lane
Joliet → Fort Worth Lane Market Snapshot
Active Carriers
136–157
running this lane
Weekly Loads
84–97
typical volume
Rate / Mile
$2.17–$2.68
dry van spot
Backhaul Score
87/100
Excellent
Steady carrier availability year-round. Expect stable pricing with 5-8% swings during seasonal peaks.
Toll Estimate
$14–$23 one-way passing through IL, TX, TN, KY, MO, AR, OK. 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.
Joliet to Fort Worth Freight Corridor
Joliet and its surrounding Will County communities sit atop the most concentrated intermodal and distribution infrastructure in the Western Hemisphere. The CenterPoint Intermodal Center, spanning over 6,000 acres, combines UP's Global IV facility with over 30 million square feet of distribution space occupied by Walmart, Amazon, IKEA, and dozens of other major shippers. This is where West Coast container imports transition from rail to truck for final-mile delivery across the Midwest and Northeast.
Fort Worth is the aerospace and rail logistics capital of Texas. Lockheed Martin's mile-long factory produces every F-35 Lightning II fighter jet sold worldwide, generating classified, oversize, and high-security freight that requires specialized carriers. BNSF Railway's headquarters and Alliance Texas — the nation's largest inland port — create one of the most sophisticated intermodal logistics ecosystems in North America. Bell Textron builds V-22 Ospreys and commercial helicopters, adding to the aerospace freight base.
The Joliet-to-Fort Worth corridor spans 1,028 miles via I-80, I-55, I-35W, I-30. This lane connects intermodal logistics and warehousing & distribution freight from the Joliet market to aerospace & defense and rail logistics demand in Fort Worth. Carriers running this route regularly maintain competitive rates through strong backhaul availability in both directions.
What Ships from Joliet
Joliet's economy is driven by intermodal logistics, warehousing & distribution, e-commerce fulfillment, generating consistent outbound freight demand.
redistributed consumer goods
intermodal containers
packaged foods
building materials
automotive parts
e-commerce parcels
What Fort Worth Receives
Fort Worth's aerospace & defense, rail logistics, ranching & agriculture sectors drive strong inbound freight demand from markets like Joliet.
aerospace sub-assemblies
raw metals
containerized imports (via Alliance)
consumer goods
building materials
fuel
Recommended Equipment
Based on the commodities moving between Joliet and Fort Worth, 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.
$2,210-$2,724 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.
$2,930-$3,752 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.
$765-$1,274 estimated for this lane
Rate Estimates by Shipping Mode
Estimated rates for the Joliet to Fort Worth lane (1,028 miles). Actual rates depend on commodity, weight, season, and equipment.
| Mode | Rate Estimate | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| FTL (Full Truckload) | $2,210-$2,724 | 19 hrs |
| LTL (Less Than Truckload) | $765-$1,274 | 21-23 days |
| Expedited / Hot Shot | $3,341-$4,626 | 12 hrs |
| Intermodal (Rail + Truck) | $1,388-$1,902 | 22-24 days |
Major Shippers on This Corridor
Key freight generators in both Joliet and Fort Worth that drive volume on this lane.
Walmart (Elwood Mega-DC)
Amazon (CenterPoint)
IKEA Distribution
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (F-35)
Bell Textron (HQ)
BNSF Railway (HQ)
Shipping Tips for Joliet to Fort Worth
Joliet Seasonal Advisory
Q4 holiday freight creates near-gridlock conditions on I-80 and I-55 as intermodal volume peaks. January sees a dramatic drop-off. Spring produce season restocks create a secondary peak in March-April.
Fort Worth Seasonal Advisory
Defense freight follows federal fiscal year-end spending (September rush). BNSF intermodal volumes peak during Q4 import season. Livestock and agricultural freight from the Fort Worth Stockyards region is strongest March through October.
Consider Team Drivers
At 1,028 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 Joliet and Fort Worth — the warehouses, rail terminals, and highway spines that shape rates on this lane.
Origin
Joliet, IL
- Metro Population
- 150K city (part of Chicago metro)
- Avg Outbound Rate
- $2.10-$2.45/mi
- Key Highways
- I-80, I-55, US-30
- Rail / Intermodal
- UP Global IV Intermodal (Joliet); BNSF Logistics Park Chicago (Elwood)
- Warehouse Districts
- CenterPoint Intermodal Center, Elwood/Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery area, Channahon/I-55
“Carriers positioning at the Joliet intermodal yards can often find loads within 30 minutes of arrival. The density of freight here is so high that owner-operators frequently run 3-4 short-haul loads per day to Chicago-area delivery points, earning more than a single long-haul run.”
Destination
Fort Worth, TX
- Metro Population
- 7.6M metro (DFW)
- Avg Outbound Rate
- $2.05-$2.40/mi
- Key Highways
- I-35W, I-30, I-20
- Rail / Intermodal
- BNSF Alliance Intermodal Facility; Alliance Texas Logistics Hub
- Warehouse Districts
- AllianceTexas/I-35W North, South Fort Worth/I-20 Corridor, Haslet/Alliance Gateway
“AllianceTexas is not just an intermodal facility — it's a 27,000-acre master-planned logistics campus with its own airport, rail yard, and 50+ million square feet of warehouse space. Carriers who operate within the Alliance ecosystem can string together multiple loads without leaving the campus.”
Return Loads from Fort Worth
Fort Worth is a strong outbound freight market. Carriers returning to Joliet typically secure backhaul within 24-48 hours, often at 75-85% of the forward rate.
Top Backhaul Commodities from Fort Worth
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
Joliet to Fort Worth Freight FAQs
How much does it cost to ship freight from Joliet to Fort Worth?
Full truckload (FTL) rates from Joliet, IL to Fort Worth, TX currently range $2,210-$2,724 (roughly $2.17-$2.68 per mile over 1,028 miles). LTL shipments typically cost $765-$1,274 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 Joliet to Fort Worth?
Standard FTL transit from Joliet to Fort Worth is approximately 19 hrs by truck over 1,028 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 UP Global IV Intermodal (Joliet) to BNSF Alliance Intermodal Facility takes 5-7 days but offers significant cost savings.
What equipment do I need for Joliet to Fort Worth freight?
Equipment choice depends on your commodity. Joliet commonly ships redistributed consumer goods, intermodal containers, packaged foods, which typically moves in standard dry van trailers. Fort Worth commonly receives aerospace sub-assemblies, raw metals, containerized imports (via Alliance). Our team matches you with the right equipment type for your specific freight.
Is there good backhaul from Fort Worth to Joliet?
Excellent backhaul (scored 87/100 based on Fort Worth's outbound commodity mix). Fort Worth is a strong outbound freight market. Carriers returning to Joliet typically secure backhaul within 24-48 hours, often at 75-85% of the forward rate. Fort Worth's top outbound commodities — F-35 fighter jet components, Bell helicopters, grain & cattle — are the most common return-load categories carriers target.
What commodities move from Joliet to Fort Worth?
The Joliet-to-Fort Worth corridor handles a diverse freight mix — freight brokers often call this the Fresh Food Lane. Joliet's top outbound commodities include redistributed consumer goods, intermodal containers, packaged foods, building materials, automotive parts, e-commerce parcels. Fort Worth's primary inbound freight includes aerospace sub-assemblies, raw metals, containerized imports (via Alliance), consumer goods, building materials, fuel. Industries driving this lane include intermodal logistics and warehousing & distribution from Joliet and aerospace & defense and rail logistics in Fort Worth.
When are rates highest on the Joliet to Fort Worth lane?
This lane's rate cycle is tied to intermodal logistics and warehousing & distribution 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 Joliet to Fort Worth
We maintain working relationships with 136+ FMCSA-verified carriers running the Joliet–Fort Worth 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