Freight Shipping from Kent to St. Louis
Ship freight from Kent, WA to St. Louis, MO with FMCSA-verified carriers. FTL from $4,788-$5,902, LTL from $1,425-$2,293. No hidden fees, no re-bills.
Distance
2,227 mi
Drive Time
40 hrs
FTL Rate Est.
$4,788-$5,902
LTL Rate Est.
$1,425-$2,293
Fresh Food Lane
Kent → St. Louis Lane Market Snapshot
Active Carriers
71–86
running this lane
Weekly Loads
87–102
typical volume
Rate / Mile
$2.18–$2.67
dry van spot
Backhaul Score
73/100
Strong
Steady carrier availability year-round. Expect stable pricing with 5-8% swings during seasonal peaks.
Toll Estimate
$26–$43 one-way passing through WA, MO. 5 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.
Kent to St. Louis Freight Corridor
Kent sits in the heart of the Green River Valley, home to the largest warehouse and distribution concentration in the Pacific Northwest. Over 60 million square feet of industrial space lines the valley floor, housing Amazon fulfillment centers, Blue Origin's rocket manufacturing campus, and REI's national headquarters. The valley's proximity to both the Port of Tacoma and Sea-Tac Airport makes it the natural transload point for imported goods entering the Pacific Northwest.
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 Kent-to-St. Louis corridor spans 2,227 miles via I-5, SR-167, I-70, I-64. This lane connects warehousing & distribution and aerospace manufacturing freight from the Kent 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 Kent
Kent's economy is driven by warehousing & distribution, aerospace manufacturing, food processing, generating consistent outbound freight demand.
e-commerce shipments
aerospace components
processed foods
building materials
consumer electronics
industrial equipment
What St. Louis Receives
St. Louis's beer & beverage, agriculture & food, defense & aerospace sectors drive strong inbound freight demand from markets like Kent.
raw grain & barley
aluminum cans & packaging
auto parts
consumer goods
industrial chemicals
retail merchandise
Recommended Equipment
Based on the commodities moving between Kent 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.
$4,788-$5,902 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.
$6,347-$8,129 estimated for this lane
Tanker / Hazmat
Specialized equipment for liquid chemicals, petroleum products, and hazardous materials. Requires hazmat-endorsed drivers and placarding compliance.
$7,015-$9,465 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.
$1,425-$2,293 estimated for this lane
Rate Estimates by Shipping Mode
Estimated rates for the Kent to St. Louis lane (2,227 miles). Actual rates depend on commodity, weight, season, and equipment.
| Mode | Rate Estimate | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| FTL (Full Truckload) | $4,788-$5,902 | 40 hrs |
| LTL (Less Than Truckload) | $1,425-$2,293 | 42-44 days |
| Expedited / Hot Shot | $7,238-$10,022 | 27 hrs |
| Intermodal (Rail + Truck) | $3,006-$4,120 | 43-45 days |
Major Shippers on This Corridor
Key freight generators in both Kent and St. Louis that drive volume on this lane.
Amazon Kent Fulfillment (BFI4/BFI3)
Blue Origin (HQ)
REI Co-op (HQ)
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Boeing Defense
General Motors (Wentzville)
Shipping Tips for Kent to St. Louis
Kent Seasonal Advisory
Amazon fulfillment drives massive Q4 holiday surges (October-December). Blue Origin rocket component shipments are irregular but high-value. REI seasonal inventory peaks align with outdoor recreation seasons — spring gear (February-March) and winter gear (August-September).
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 2,227 miles, this route exceeds single-driver HOS limits. Team drivers can deliver in 40 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 Kent and St. Louis — the warehouses, rail terminals, and highway spines that shape rates on this lane.
Origin
Kent, WA
- Metro Population
- 137K city (part of Seattle metro)
- Avg Outbound Rate
- $2.10-$2.45/mi
- Key Highways
- I-5, SR-167, SR-516
- Rail / Intermodal
- BNSF Auburn Yard (adjacent)
- Warehouse Districts
- Kent Valley Industrial (Green River), East Hill/SR-167, Auburn/I-5 South
“Kent Valley is the single best place in the Pacific Northwest to find outbound loads. The density of fulfillment centers and distribution warehouses means carriers can often find same-day loads without repositioning, making it the preferred staging area for owner-operators working the Seattle market.”
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 Kent 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
Kent to St. Louis Freight FAQs
How much does it cost to ship freight from Kent to St. Louis?
Full truckload (FTL) rates from Kent, WA to St. Louis, MO currently range $4,788-$5,902 (roughly $2.18-$2.67 per mile over 2,227 miles). LTL shipments typically cost $1,425-$2,293 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 Kent to St. Louis?
Standard FTL transit from Kent to St. Louis is approximately 40 hrs by truck over 2,227 miles, with 5 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 BNSF Auburn Yard (adjacent) to BNSF St. Louis Intermodal takes 5-7 days but offers significant cost savings.
What equipment do I need for Kent to St. Louis freight?
Equipment choice depends on your commodity. Kent commonly ships e-commerce shipments, aerospace components, 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 Kent?
Strong backhaul (scored 73/100 based on St. Louis's outbound commodity mix). St. Louis generates consistent outbound volume. Backhaul to Kent 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 Kent to St. Louis?
The Kent-to-St. Louis corridor handles a diverse freight mix — freight brokers often call this the Fresh Food Lane. Kent's top outbound commodities include e-commerce shipments, aerospace components, processed foods, building materials, consumer electronics, industrial equipment. 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 warehousing & distribution and aerospace manufacturing from Kent and beer & beverage and agriculture & food in St. Louis.
What tolls should I expect on the Kent to St. Louis route?
Expect roughly $26-$43 in tolls round-trip passing through WA, MO. 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 Kent to St. Louis lane?
This lane's rate cycle is tied to warehousing & distribution and aerospace manufacturing 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.
Should I use team drivers for the Kent to St. Louis lane?
At 2,227 miles, this route exceeds a solo driver's hours-of-service limits and requires at least one 10-hour break, adding roughly 14-18 hours to transit. Team drivers typically deliver in 24-29 hours — nearly half the solo transit — at a 20-35% rate premium. For time-critical freight over 1,200 miles, teams generally pay for themselves.
Get Exact Rates for Kent to St. Louis
We maintain working relationships with 71+ FMCSA-verified carriers running the Kent–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