Phoenix to Los Angeles Truck Dispatch
Freight route from Phoenix, AZ to Los Angeles, CA (370 miles). One of the highest-volume freight lanes in the country. It links Phoenix to the Port of LA and Southern California's huge consumer market.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Phoenix to Los Angeles?
Phoenix to Los Angeles is a 370-mile lane paying about $851 - $999 per load, near $2.30 - $2.70 a mile. Freight is mostly retail distribution, consumer goods and import cargo.
- Distance
- 370 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $851 - $999
- Rate per mile
- $2.30 - $2.70
- Transit time
- Same day / 6 hrs
- Deadhead risk
- 15-20%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing and shift with fuel prices and LA port volume. See our dispatch fee structure.
Phoenix to Los Angeles
Phoenix to Los Angeles is a 370-mile, 6-hour run west on I-10, reversing the busy LA-to-Phoenix freight flow. Phoenix has grown into a Southwest distribution backbone in its own right, adding 58.9 million square feet of warehouse space between 2019 and 2023, but the LA end still outweighs it: the Port of Long Beach moved a record 9.9 million TEU in 2025, and the Port of Los Angeles was pacing to top 10 million TEU the same year. This direction usually means a straightforward drayage or import-transload pickup at the LA end.
Origin
Phoenix, AZ
Destination
Los Angeles, CA
Distance
370 miles
Transit Time
Same day / 6 hrs
Average Rate
$851 - $999
Rate per Mile
$2.30 - $2.70
370-mile lane, typically a same-day run on I-10
Ends near the Port of LA and Port of Long Beach, the two busiest US container ports
The reverse of the busier LA-to-Phoenix retail freight flow
Phoenix to Los Angeles: route facts a driver should know
This route runs the same corridor as Yuma's winter produce trucks
Every winter, between 1,500 and 2,000 refrigerated semi-truckloads of leafy greens leave the Yuma area each day, much of it routed toward Southern California on the same I-10/I-8 corridor this lane uses.
Source: AgNet West, Yuma winter lettuce production overview. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
A medium lane: plan for a real HOS break
FMCSA requires a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving without one. This 370-mile lane runs about 5.5 hours in good conditions, so plan your break into the schedule.
Source: FMCSA, Summary of Hours of Service Regulations. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Phoenix to Los Angeles?
About $445.02 this week. The lane is 370 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 57 gallons, and diesel is averaging $7.82 a gallon on this lane (week of October 19, 2026). The U.S. average diesel price is up 10 cents this week.
An estimate. It uses EIA's weekly average for the two regions this lane connects, not the price at each pump. Your mpg and fuel card discounts change it.
- Distance
- 370 mi
- Diesel needed
- 57 gal
- Price used
- $7.82/gal
- Fuel cost
- $445.02
Common Freight Types
Retail distribution, consumer goods and import cargo fill the trailers heading west.
- Retail Distribution
- Consumer Goods
- Import Cargo
What makes the Phoenix to Los Angeles lane difficult?
Port congestion at either LA-area terminal can add hours to a pickup
Port congestion at either LA-area terminal can add hours to a pickup.
Summer desert heat on the Blythe stretch of I-10
Understanding and preparing for this challenge helps optimize your operations and maximize profitability on this lane.
The I-10/I-17 interchange area near Phoenix can back up during rush hour on departure
The I-10/I-17 interchange area near Phoenix can back up during rush hour on departure.
What freight moves on the Phoenix to Los Angeles lane?
What travels between Phoenix and Los Angeles, and when the busy weeks fall.
Primary Commodities
- •Retail Distribution
- •Consumer Goods
- •Import Cargo
Secondary Commodities
- •Port of LA and Long Beach reload freight
- •Semiconductor and manufacturing freight
- •E-commerce fulfillment freight
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Consumer goods (Q4 holiday import surge)
- •Retail distribution (steady)
- •Import cargo (tied to port volume)
When is the Phoenix to Los Angeles lane busiest?
Port import timing sets the main peak on this lane.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
January and February soften after the holiday rush, though Phoenix's growing manufacturing base keeps freight steadier than a pure retail lane.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
Port import volume climbs hard from October through December.
Produce Season?
Not a major factor; retail and import freight drive this lane.
- •Q4 holiday import surge
- •Spring/summer construction season
- •Steady semiconductor-linked freight
Hurricane Risk?
None. Summer desert heat on the Blythe stretch is the real weather risk.
Seasonal Strategy Summary
Reefer-connected freight on this lane climbs sharply from November through April as Yuma-area produce competes for capacity toward Southern California, easing in the summer months.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Phoenix to Los Angeles lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need a heat plan.
When to Book
Suggested booking window:
2-3 days out is typical for this steady lane.
What Brokers Pay More
Loads that command more:
Time-critical import transload freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful pricing a summer daytime run through the Blythe desert without a heat plan.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Phoenix to Los Angeles
- •
Book early during winter produce season. Reefer capacity on this corridor tightens as Yuma-area truckloads compete for the same lanes toward Southern California.
- •
This lane runs about 5.5 hours, so plan your required HOS break into the schedule.
- •
Summer desert heat across this corridor is real. Check equipment and driver plans before a July or August run.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Phoenix to Los Angeles lane?
The LA Basin's port and retail volume makes an eastbound return load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Los Angeles, CA
- •Regional distribution hubs near Los Angeles
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 15-20%
This direction is generally easier than the outbound Phoenix leg, since LA has more freight on offer.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •One of the lowest-deadhead-risk lanes in the network, because so much freight moves in both directions.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Los Angeles's massive port and distribution network gives this lane strong, reliable backhaul options.
- •
Winter produce season adds extra reefer freight competing for capacity, so book your return load a bit earlier than usual.
- •
Check current desert heat conditions for your return trip in summer months.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Phoenix to Los Angeles lane?
Three notes before you drop into the LA Basin.
Check Port of LA and Long Beach gate wait times before you commit to a pickup window.
Check tires and coolant before the Blythe desert stretch in summer.
Time your Phoenix departure to miss the I-10/I-17 rush-hour crunch if you can.
Before you book Phoenix to Los Angeles, check current reefer capacity during winter produce season, when Yuma-area freight competes for the same trucks.
Phoenix to Los Angeles Lane FAQs
Answers on driving time, the ports, and desert heat.
The lane data shows about $851 - $999 per load, or $2.30 - $2.70 a mile, across 370 miles.
Generally yes. The Los Angeles Basin, with the Port of Long Beach's record 9.9 million TEU in 2025 and the Port of Los Angeles pacing near 10 million TEU, offers far more freight than Phoenix generates.
It regularly tops 110°F. Check tires and cooling systems before a summer daytime run.
Reasonably. Phoenix's rapid warehouse growth gives good odds, especially in the newer Goodyear and Loop 303 submarkets.
Other Arizona freight lanes we dispatch
- Phoenix to Las Vegas
- Phoenix to Reno
- Phoenix to San Diego
- Phoenix to Tucson
- Phoenix to Dallas
- Phoenix to Denver
Local resources
Also serving the other end of this lane
Dry Van owner-operator, West Coast: +$2,010/week after moving to $2.62/mi on general freight / consumer goods freight.
Read the case studyNeed help running Phoenix, AZ to Los Angeles, CA consistently?
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