Freight Shipping from St. Louis to Little Rock
Ship freight from St. Louis, MO to Little Rock, AR with FMCSA-verified carriers. FTL from $817-$1,007, LTL from $409-$723. No hidden fees, no re-bills.
Distance
380 mi
Drive Time
7 hrs
FTL Rate Est.
$817-$1,007
LTL Rate Est.
$409-$723
Industrial Freight Lane
St. Louis → Little Rock Lane Market Snapshot
Active Carriers
163–184
running this lane
Weekly Loads
83–100
typical volume
Rate / Mile
$2.17–$2.67
dry van spot
Backhaul Score
55/100
Moderate
Steady carrier availability year-round. Expect stable pricing with 5-8% swings during seasonal peaks.
Toll Estimate
$3–$5 one-way passing through MO, AR, TN. 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 Little Rock 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.
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 St. Louis-to-Little Rock corridor spans 380 miles via I-70, I-64, I-40, I-30. This lane connects beer & beverage and agriculture & food freight from the St. Louis 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 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 Little Rock Receives
Little Rock's food processing, steel manufacturing, defense sectors drive strong inbound freight demand from markets like St. Louis.
raw steel
consumer goods
agricultural chemicals
petroleum products
packaging materials
retail merchandise
Recommended Equipment
Based on the commodities moving between St. Louis 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.
$817-$1,007 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.
$1,007-$1,273 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.
$1,083-$1,387 estimated for this lane
Tanker / Hazmat
Specialized equipment for liquid chemicals, petroleum products, and hazardous materials. Requires hazmat-endorsed drivers and placarding compliance.
$1,197-$1,615 estimated for this lane
Rate Estimates by Shipping Mode
Estimated rates for the St. Louis to Little Rock lane (380 miles). Actual rates depend on commodity, weight, season, and equipment.
| Mode | Rate Estimate | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| FTL (Full Truckload) | $817-$1,007 | 7 hrs |
| LTL (Less Than Truckload) | $409-$723 | 9-11 days |
| Expedited / Hot Shot | $1,235-$1,710 | 5 hrs |
Major Shippers on This Corridor
Key freight generators in both St. Louis and Little Rock that drive volume on this lane.
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Boeing Defense
General Motors (Wentzville)
Dillard's (HQ)
Welspun Tubular
L'Oreal Manufacturing
Shipping Tips for St. Louis to Little Rock
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.
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.
Same-Day Delivery Possible
At 380 miles, a single driver can complete this route within a standard driving window. Expedited same-day service is available for time-critical shipments at a premium.
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 Little Rock — 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
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
Backhaul from Little Rock to St. Louis requires planning. Carriers often reposition via intermediate markets, impacting forward pricing.
Top Backhaul Commodities from Little Rock
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 Little Rock Freight FAQs
How much does it cost to ship freight from St. Louis to Little Rock?
Full truckload (FTL) rates from St. Louis, MO to Little Rock, AR currently range $817-$1,007 (roughly $2.17-$2.67 per mile over 380 miles). LTL shipments typically cost $409-$723 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 St. Louis to Little Rock?
Standard FTL transit from St. Louis to Little Rock is approximately 7 hrs by truck over 380 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%.
What equipment do I need for St. Louis to Little Rock 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. 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 St. Louis?
Moderate backhaul (scored 55/100 based on Little Rock's outbound commodity mix). Backhaul from Little Rock to St. Louis requires planning. Carriers often reposition via intermediate markets, impacting forward pricing. 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 St. Louis to Little Rock?
The St. Louis-to-Little Rock corridor handles a diverse freight mix — freight brokers often call this the Industrial Freight Lane. St. Louis's top outbound commodities include beer & beverages, processed foods, defense equipment, vehicles (GM), chemicals, grain 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 beer & beverage and agriculture & food from St. Louis and food processing and steel manufacturing in Little Rock.
When are rates highest on the St. Louis to Little Rock 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.
Can freight from St. Louis to Little Rock be delivered same-day?
Yes. At 380 miles (7 hrs driving), a single driver can complete the St. Louis-to-Little Rock lane in one shift. Same-day delivery requires booking before 9 AM local time at origin and confirming dock availability at destination. Expedited service runs 6 hours with priority handling.
Get Exact Rates for St. Louis to Little Rock
We maintain working relationships with 163+ FMCSA-verified carriers running the St. Louis–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