Freight Shipping from St. Louis to Tacoma
Ship freight from St. Louis, MO to Tacoma, WA with FMCSA-verified carriers. FTL from $4,812-$5,931, LTL from $1,431-$2,302. No hidden fees, no re-bills.
Distance
2,238 mi
Drive Time
41 hrs
FTL Rate Est.
$4,812-$5,931
LTL Rate Est.
$1,431-$2,302
Energy & Chemicals Route
St. Louis → Tacoma Lane Market Snapshot
Active Carriers
87–111
running this lane
Weekly Loads
103–122
typical volume
Rate / Mile
$2.17–$2.67
dry van spot
Backhaul Score
64/100
Moderate
High-demand corridor. Spot rates move quickly during peak weeks. Contract lanes typically lock in 8-12% below spot.
Toll Estimate
$26–$43 one-way passing through MO, WA. 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.
St. Louis to Tacoma 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.
Tacoma is the southern anchor of the Northwest Seaport Alliance, handling the bulk of container vessel calls for the Pacific Northwest. The Port of Tacoma's deep-water terminals process millions of TEUs annually, with direct rail connections to BNSF's transcontinental network. Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the largest military installation on the West Coast, generates substantial defense logistics freight including vehicle movements, equipment deployments, and supply chain operations.
The St. Louis-to-Tacoma corridor spans 2,238 miles via I-70, I-64, I-5, SR-16. This lane connects beer & beverage and agriculture & food freight from the St. Louis market to port logistics and military (joint base lewis-mcchord) demand in Tacoma. 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 Tacoma Receives
Tacoma's port logistics, military (joint base lewis-mcchord), manufacturing sectors drive strong inbound freight demand from markets like St. Louis.
containerized imports (Asia)
vehicles
petroleum products
construction materials
military supplies
consumer goods
Recommended Equipment
Based on the commodities moving between St. Louis and Tacoma, 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.
$4,812-$5,931 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.
$5,931-$7,497 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.
$6,378-$8,169 estimated for this lane
Tanker / Hazmat
Specialized equipment for liquid chemicals, petroleum products, and hazardous materials. Requires hazmat-endorsed drivers and placarding compliance.
$7,050-$9,512 estimated for this lane
Rate Estimates by Shipping Mode
Estimated rates for the St. Louis to Tacoma lane (2,238 miles). Actual rates depend on commodity, weight, season, and equipment.
| Mode | Rate Estimate | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| FTL (Full Truckload) | $4,812-$5,931 | 41 hrs |
| LTL (Less Than Truckload) | $1,431-$2,302 | 43-45 days |
| Expedited / Hot Shot | $7,274-$10,071 | 27 hrs |
| Intermodal (Rail + Truck) | $3,021-$4,140 | 44-46 days |
Major Shippers on This Corridor
Key freight generators in both St. Louis and Tacoma that drive volume on this lane.
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Boeing Defense
General Motors (Wentzville)
Port of Tacoma / NW Seaport Alliance
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Simpson Tacoma Kraft
Shipping Tips for St. Louis to Tacoma
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.
Tacoma Seasonal Advisory
Container import volumes peak mid-summer through early fall for holiday retail inventory. Military freight follows deployment and exercise schedules at JBLM. Grain export season (August-November) from eastern Washington drives heavy truck-to-ship transfers at the port.
Consider Team Drivers
At 2,238 miles, this route exceeds single-driver HOS limits. Team drivers can deliver in 41 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 St. Louis and Tacoma — 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
Tacoma, WA
- Metro Population
- 920K metro (Pierce County)
- Avg Outbound Rate
- $2.10-$2.50/mi
- Key Highways
- I-5, SR-16, SR-167
- Rail / Intermodal
- Port of Tacoma Intermodal Yard; BNSF South Tacoma Yard
- Port Access
- Port of Tacoma / Northwest Seaport Alliance (0 mi)
- Warehouse Districts
- Port of Tacoma/Tideflats, Fredrickson/I-5 South, Fife/SR-167 Corridor
“The Tacoma Tideflats industrial area is one of the densest freight zones on the West Coast, with port terminals, rail yards, and warehouses packed into a small area. Carriers who master the local routing through this zone — avoiding the chronic congestion on SR-509 — gain a significant time advantage on port drayage runs.”
Return Loads from Tacoma
Backhaul from Tacoma to St. Louis requires planning. Carriers often reposition via intermediate markets, impacting forward pricing.
Top Backhaul Commodities from Tacoma
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 Tacoma Freight FAQs
How much does it cost to ship freight from St. Louis to Tacoma?
Full truckload (FTL) rates from St. Louis, MO to Tacoma, WA currently range $4,812-$5,931 (roughly $2.17-$2.67 per mile over 2,238 miles). LTL shipments typically cost $1,431-$2,302 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 Tacoma?
Standard FTL transit from St. Louis to Tacoma is approximately 41 hrs by truck over 2,238 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 St. Louis Intermodal to Port of Tacoma Intermodal Yard takes 5-7 days but offers significant cost savings.
What equipment do I need for St. Louis to Tacoma 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. Tacoma commonly receives containerized imports (Asia), vehicles, petroleum products. Our team matches you with the right equipment type for your specific freight.
Is there good backhaul from Tacoma to St. Louis?
Moderate backhaul (scored 64/100 based on Tacoma's outbound commodity mix). Backhaul from Tacoma to St. Louis requires planning. Carriers often reposition via intermediate markets, impacting forward pricing. Tacoma's top outbound commodities — containerized exports (grain, hay), lumber & wood products, military equipment — are the most common return-load categories carriers target.
What commodities move from St. Louis to Tacoma?
The St. Louis-to-Tacoma corridor handles a diverse freight mix — freight brokers often call this the Energy & Chemicals Route. St. Louis's top outbound commodities include beer & beverages, processed foods, defense equipment, vehicles (GM), chemicals, grain products. Tacoma's primary inbound freight includes containerized imports (Asia), vehicles, petroleum products, construction materials, military supplies, consumer goods. Industries driving this lane include beer & beverage and agriculture & food from St. Louis and port logistics and military (Joint Base Lewis-McChord) in Tacoma.
What tolls should I expect on the St. Louis to Tacoma route?
Expect roughly $26-$43 in tolls round-trip passing through MO, WA. 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 St. Louis to Tacoma 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.
Should I use team drivers for the St. Louis to Tacoma lane?
At 2,238 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 St. Louis to Tacoma
We maintain working relationships with 87+ FMCSA-verified carriers running the St. Louis–Tacoma 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