Freight Shipping from St. Louis to New Orleans
Ship freight from St. Louis, MO to New Orleans, LA with FMCSA-verified carriers. FTL from $1,675-$2,064, LTL from $628-$1,062. No hidden fees, no re-bills.
Distance
779 mi
Drive Time
14 hrs
FTL Rate Est.
$1,675-$2,064
LTL Rate Est.
$628-$1,062
Fresh Food Lane
St. Louis → New Orleans Lane Market Snapshot
Active Carriers
165–180
running this lane
Weekly Loads
227–248
typical volume
Rate / Mile
$2.17–$2.68
dry van spot
Backhaul Score
76/100
Strong
High-demand corridor. Spot rates move quickly during peak weeks. Contract lanes typically lock in 8-12% below spot.
Toll Estimate
$6–$11 one-way passing through MO, LA, TN, AR. 2 typical fuel stops along the corridor.
Book For Best Rates
Best pickup days: Tue, Wed, Thu. Avoid: Sun, Mon AM, Fri PM. Mid-week pickups on this lane typically price 6-11% below weekend-adjacent bookings.
St. Louis to New Orleans 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.
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 St. Louis-to-New Orleans corridor spans 779 miles via I-70, I-64, I-10, I-55. This lane connects beer & beverage and agriculture & food freight from the St. Louis 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 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 New Orleans Receives
New Orleans's petrochemicals, port operations, tourism & hospitality sectors drive strong inbound freight demand from markets like St. Louis.
crude oil
steel & metals
containerized imports
construction materials
food service supplies
industrial chemicals
Recommended Equipment
Based on the commodities moving between St. Louis 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.
$1,675-$2,064 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.
$2,064-$2,610 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.
$2,220-$2,843 estimated for this lane
Tanker / Hazmat
Specialized equipment for liquid chemicals, petroleum products, and hazardous materials. Requires hazmat-endorsed drivers and placarding compliance.
$2,454-$3,311 estimated for this lane
Rate Estimates by Shipping Mode
Estimated rates for the St. Louis to New Orleans lane (779 miles). Actual rates depend on commodity, weight, season, and equipment.
| Mode | Rate Estimate | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| FTL (Full Truckload) | $1,675-$2,064 | 14 hrs |
| LTL (Less Than Truckload) | $628-$1,062 | 16-18 days |
| Expedited / Hot Shot | $2,532-$3,506 | 9 hrs |
| Intermodal (Rail + Truck) | $1,052-$1,441 | 17-19 days |
Major Shippers on This Corridor
Key freight generators in both St. Louis and New Orleans that drive volume on this lane.
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Boeing Defense
General Motors (Wentzville)
Port of New Orleans
Entergy
Folgers/J.M. Smucker (coffee roasting)
Shipping Tips for St. Louis to New Orleans
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.
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.
Overnight Transit
This 779-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 New Orleans — 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
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 St. Louis is generally available within 2-3 days at 65-78% of forward rate.
Top Backhaul Commodities from New Orleans
Seasonal Rate Patterns
Jul (auto shutdown)
-8-12% available capacity, predictable
Mar-Oct (construction season)
+8-14% on flatbed
St. Louis to New Orleans Freight FAQs
How much does it cost to ship freight from St. Louis to New Orleans?
Full truckload (FTL) rates from St. Louis, MO to New Orleans, LA currently range $1,675-$2,064 (roughly $2.17-$2.68 per mile over 779 miles). LTL shipments typically cost $628-$1,062 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 New Orleans?
Standard FTL transit from St. Louis to New Orleans is approximately 14 hrs by truck over 779 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 BNSF St. Louis Intermodal to NS New Orleans Intermodal takes 5-7 days but offers significant cost savings.
What equipment do I need for St. Louis to New Orleans 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. 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 St. Louis?
Strong backhaul (scored 76/100 based on New Orleans's outbound commodity mix). New Orleans generates consistent outbound volume. Backhaul to St. Louis 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 St. Louis to New Orleans?
The St. Louis-to-New Orleans corridor handles a diverse freight mix — freight brokers often call this the Fresh Food Lane. St. Louis's top outbound commodities include beer & beverages, processed foods, defense equipment, vehicles (GM), chemicals, grain products. 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 beer & beverage and agriculture & food from St. Louis and petrochemicals and port operations in New Orleans.
When are rates highest on the St. Louis to New Orleans lane?
This lane's rate cycle is tied to beer & beverage and agriculture & food cycles. Key periods: 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, Mon AM, Fri PM pickups when possible.
Get Exact Rates for St. Louis to New Orleans
We maintain working relationships with 165+ FMCSA-verified carriers running the St. Louis–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