Freight Shipping from Joliet to New Orleans
Ship freight from Joliet, IL to New Orleans, LA with FMCSA-verified carriers. FTL from $2,258-$2,783, LTL from $778-$1,293. No hidden fees, no re-bills.
Distance
1,050 mi
Drive Time
19 hrs
FTL Rate Est.
$2,258-$2,783
LTL Rate Est.
$778-$1,293
Port Drayage Corridor
Joliet → New Orleans Lane Market Snapshot
Active Carriers
133–154
running this lane
Weekly Loads
87–101
typical volume
Rate / Mile
$2.17–$2.65
dry van spot
Backhaul Score
78/100
Strong
Steady carrier availability year-round. Expect stable pricing with 5-8% swings during seasonal peaks.
Toll Estimate
$13–$22 one-way passing through IL, LA, TN, KY, MO, AR. 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 New Orleans 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.
New Orleans commands the mouth of the Mississippi River, the most important commercial waterway in the Western Hemisphere. The Port of South Louisiana complex (stretching from New Orleans to Baton Rouge) handles more tonnage than any other port district in the US, with grain exports from the Midwest heartland meeting oceangoing vessels at 60+ terminals along the river. The city's petrochemical corridor generates hazmat tanker freight on an industrial scale, while the tourism economy demands a constant flow of food, beverage, and hospitality supplies.
The Joliet-to-New Orleans corridor spans 1,050 miles via I-55. This lane connects intermodal logistics and warehousing & distribution freight from the Joliet market to petrochemicals and port operations demand in New Orleans. 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 New Orleans Receives
New Orleans's petrochemicals, port operations, tourism & hospitality sectors drive strong inbound freight demand from markets like Joliet.
crude oil
steel & metals
containerized imports
construction materials
food service supplies
industrial chemicals
Recommended Equipment
Based on the commodities moving between Joliet and New Orleans, 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.
$2,258-$2,783 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.
$2,993-$3,833 estimated for this lane
Tanker / Hazmat
Specialized equipment for liquid chemicals, petroleum products, and hazardous materials. Requires hazmat-endorsed drivers and placarding compliance.
$3,308-$4,463 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.
$778-$1,293 estimated for this lane
Rate Estimates by Shipping Mode
Estimated rates for the Joliet to New Orleans lane (1,050 miles). Actual rates depend on commodity, weight, season, and equipment.
| Mode | Rate Estimate | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| FTL (Full Truckload) | $2,258-$2,783 | 19 hrs |
| LTL (Less Than Truckload) | $778-$1,293 | 21-23 days |
| Expedited / Hot Shot | $3,413-$4,725 | 13 hrs |
| Intermodal (Rail + Truck) | $1,418-$1,943 | 22-24 days |
Major Shippers on This Corridor
Key freight generators in both Joliet and New Orleans that drive volume on this lane.
Walmart (Elwood Mega-DC)
Amazon (CenterPoint)
IKEA Distribution
Port of New Orleans
Entergy
Folgers/J.M. Smucker (coffee roasting)
Shipping Tips for Joliet to New Orleans
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.
New Orleans Seasonal Advisory
Mardi Gras (February-March) drives a spike in food service and event freight. Hurricane season (June-November) can disrupt port and refinery operations for weeks. Grain export season peaks October through January as the harvest moves downriver.
Consider Team Drivers
At 1,050 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 New Orleans — 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
New Orleans, LA
- Metro Population
- 1.3M metro
- Avg Outbound Rate
- $2.20-$2.55/mi
- Key Highways
- I-10, I-55, I-310
- Rail / Intermodal
- NS New Orleans Intermodal; CN/IC New Orleans Gateway
- Port Access
- Port of New Orleans (0 mi) / Port of South Louisiana (30 mi)
- Warehouse Districts
- Elmwood/Harahan, New Orleans East/I-10, Westwego/Harvey Canal
“The Mississippi River grain elevator system allows Midwest farmers to move corn and soybeans by barge to New Orleans at roughly one-third the cost of trucking. But the truck-to-barge transfer points create concentrated freight demand at river terminals that savvy carriers exploit for premium drayage rates.”
Return Loads from New Orleans
New Orleans generates consistent outbound volume. Backhaul to Joliet is generally available within 2-3 days at 65-78% of forward rate.
Top Backhaul Commodities from New Orleans
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 New Orleans Freight FAQs
How much does it cost to ship freight from Joliet to New Orleans?
Full truckload (FTL) rates from Joliet, IL to New Orleans, LA currently range $2,258-$2,783 (roughly $2.17-$2.65 per mile over 1,050 miles). LTL shipments typically cost $778-$1,293 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 New Orleans?
Standard FTL transit from Joliet to New Orleans is approximately 19 hrs by truck over 1,050 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 NS New Orleans Intermodal takes 5-7 days but offers significant cost savings.
What equipment do I need for Joliet to New Orleans 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. New Orleans commonly receives crude oil, steel & metals, containerized imports. Our team matches you with the right equipment type for your specific freight.
Is there good backhaul from New Orleans to Joliet?
Strong backhaul (scored 78/100 based on New Orleans's outbound commodity mix). New Orleans generates consistent outbound volume. Backhaul to Joliet is generally available within 2-3 days at 65-78% of forward rate. New Orleans's top outbound commodities — petroleum products, chemical products, grain exports — are the most common return-load categories carriers target.
What commodities move from Joliet to New Orleans?
The Joliet-to-New Orleans corridor handles a diverse freight mix — freight brokers often call this the Port Drayage Corridor. Joliet's top outbound commodities include redistributed consumer goods, intermodal containers, packaged foods, building materials, automotive parts, e-commerce parcels. New Orleans's primary inbound freight includes crude oil, steel & metals, containerized imports, construction materials, food service supplies, industrial chemicals. Industries driving this lane include intermodal logistics and warehousing & distribution from Joliet and petrochemicals and port operations in New Orleans.
When are rates highest on the Joliet to New Orleans 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 New Orleans
We maintain working relationships with 133+ FMCSA-verified carriers running the Joliet–New Orleans 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