Freight Shipping from St. Louis to Dallas
Ship freight from St. Louis, MO to Dallas, TX 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
Port Drayage Corridor
St. Louis → Dallas Lane Market Snapshot
Active Carriers
154–168
running this lane
Weekly Loads
226–247
typical volume
Rate / Mile
$2.16–$2.67
dry van spot
Backhaul Score
71/100
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 MO, TX, 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.
St. Louis to Dallas Freight Corridor
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.
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.
The St. Louis-to-Dallas corridor spans 712 miles via I-70, I-64, I-35E, I-30. This lane connects beer & beverage and agriculture & food freight from the St. Louis market to technology and telecommunications demand in Dallas. Carriers running this route regularly maintain competitive rates through strong backhaul availability in both directions.
What Ships from St. Louis
St. Louis's economy is driven by beer & beverage, agriculture & food, defense & aerospace, generating consistent outbound freight demand.
beer & beverages
processed foods
defense equipment
vehicles (GM)
chemicals
grain products
What Dallas Receives
Dallas's technology, telecommunications, financial services sectors drive strong inbound freight demand from markets like St. Louis.
consumer goods
raw materials
electronic components
building materials
imported merchandise
petroleum products
Recommended Equipment
Based on the commodities moving between St. Louis and Dallas, 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
Refrigerated (Reefer)
Required for temperature-sensitive freight including fresh produce, dairy, frozen foods, pharmaceuticals, and beverages. Maintains precise temperature control throughout transit.
$1,887-$2,385 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.
$2,029-$2,599 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
Rate Estimates by Shipping Mode
Estimated rates for the St. Louis to Dallas 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 St. Louis and Dallas that drive volume on this lane.
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Boeing Defense
General Motors (Wentzville)
Texas Instruments (HQ)
AT&T (HQ)
Amazon DFW Fulfillment Network
Shipping Tips for St. Louis to Dallas
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.
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.
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 St. Louis and Dallas — the warehouses, rail terminals, and highway spines that shape rates on this lane.
Origin
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.”
Destination
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.”
Return Loads from Dallas
Dallas generates consistent outbound volume. Backhaul to St. Louis is generally available within 2-3 days at 65-78% of forward rate.
Top Backhaul Commodities from Dallas
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
St. Louis to Dallas Freight FAQs
How much does it cost to ship freight from St. Louis to Dallas?
Full truckload (FTL) rates from St. Louis, MO to Dallas, TX 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 St. Louis to Dallas?
Standard FTL transit from St. Louis to Dallas 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 St. Louis Intermodal to BNSF Alliance Intermodal (Fort Worth) takes 5-7 days but offers significant cost savings.
What equipment do I need for St. Louis to Dallas freight?
Equipment choice depends on your commodity. St. Louis commonly ships beer & beverages, processed foods, defense equipment, which typically moves in standard dry van trailers. Dallas commonly receives consumer goods, raw materials, electronic components. Our team matches you with the right equipment type for your specific freight.
Is there good backhaul from Dallas to St. Louis?
Strong backhaul (scored 71/100 based on Dallas's outbound commodity mix). Dallas generates consistent outbound volume. Backhaul to St. Louis is generally available within 2-3 days at 65-78% of forward rate. Dallas's top outbound commodities — electronics (Texas Instruments), telecommunications equipment, consumer packaged goods — are the most common return-load categories carriers target.
What commodities move from St. Louis to Dallas?
The St. Louis-to-Dallas corridor handles a diverse freight mix — freight brokers often call this the Port Drayage Corridor. St. Louis's top outbound commodities include beer & beverages, processed foods, defense equipment, vehicles (GM), chemicals, grain products. Dallas's primary inbound freight includes consumer goods, raw materials, electronic components, building materials, imported merchandise, petroleum products. Industries driving this lane include beer & beverage and agriculture & food from St. Louis and technology and telecommunications in Dallas.
When are rates highest on the St. Louis to Dallas lane?
This lane's rate cycle is tied to beer & beverage and agriculture & food 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 St. Louis to Dallas
We maintain working relationships with 154+ FMCSA-verified carriers running the St. Louis–Dallas 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