Bentonville to Kansas City Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Bentonville, AR to Kansas City, MO (212 miles). KC's rail hub status and agricultural freight base connect via I-49/I-40.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Bentonville to Kansas City?
Bentonville to Kansas City is a 212-mile lane paying about $519 - $604 per load, near $2.45 - $2.85 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods, retail-distribution freight and rail-intermodal-connected freight.
- Distance
- 212 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $519 - $604
- Rate per mile
- $2.45 - $2.85
- Transit time
- Same day / 3-4 hrs
- Deadhead risk
- 20-25%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing for this Arkansas-Missouri corridor. See our dispatch fee structure.
Bentonville to Kansas City
Bentonville to Kansas City is a 212-mile, roughly 3.5-hour run north, connecting Walmart's global headquarters to one of the country's largest rail-intermodal centers. Kansas City's BNSF Logistics Park and its position as a major inland port give this corridor strong truck-to-rail reload options complementing Walmart's own extensive distribution network.
Origin
Bentonville, AR
Destination
Kansas City, MO
Distance
212 miles
Transit Time
Same day / 3-4 hrs
Average Rate
$519 - $604
Rate per Mile
$2.45 - $2.85
212-mile lane, about 3.5 hours north
Kansas City's BNSF Logistics Park anchors one of the largest rail-intermodal centers in the country
Walmart operates 192 US distribution facilities as of January 2026
Bentonville to Kansas City: route facts a driver should know
Kansas City runs four separate intermodal terminals
Kansas City hosts four intermodal terminals, including BNSF's Logistics Park Kansas City and Union Pacific's newer Armourdale terminal, which opened in July 2025 with 24/7 gates, giving carriers a wide choice of rail-to-truck reload points.
Source: Unisco, Kansas City freight rail hub overview. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
A short lane: you likely won't need the 30-minute break
FMCSA requires a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving without one. This 212-mile lane runs about 3.5 hours, so most drivers can finish it without a required break.
Source: FMCSA, Summary of Hours of Service Regulations. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Bentonville to Kansas City?
About $199.85 this week. The lane is 212 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 33 gallons, and diesel is averaging $6.13 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
- 212 mi
- Diesel needed
- 33 gal
- Price used
- $6.13/gal
- Fuel cost
- $199.85
Common Freight Types
Consumer goods, retail-distribution freight and rail-intermodal-connected freight fill the trailers heading north.
- Agricultural Products
- Consumer Goods
- Industrial Equipment
What makes the Bentonville to Kansas City lane difficult?
A short-to-medium lane keeps per-load rates in a moderate range
A short-to-medium lane keeps per-load rates in a moderate range.
Winter weather along the route can affect road conditions from November through March
Winter weather along the route can affect road conditions from November through March.
Retail-connected freight can see tight scheduling windows tied to delivery appointments
Retail-connected freight can see tight scheduling windows tied to delivery appointments.
What freight moves on the Bentonville to Kansas City lane?
What travels between Bentonville and Kansas City, and why the rail-intermodal hub matters here.
Primary Commodities
- •Agricultural Products
- •Consumer Goods
- •Industrial Equipment
Secondary Commodities
- •Retail-distribution-connected freight (Walmart)
- •Rail-intermodal-connected freight
- •Consumer goods
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Consumer goods (holiday surge)
- •Back-to-school retail freight (July-August)
- •Rail-intermodal-connected freight (steady)
When is the Bentonville to Kansas City lane busiest?
Retail timing and steady Walmart-connected freight both shape this lane.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holidays as retail inventory normalizes.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
Consumer goods and retail-distribution freight both climb sharply from October through December.
Produce Season?
Not a major factor on this lane.
- •Q4 holiday retail season
- •Back-to-school retail season (July-August)
- •Steady retail-distribution freight year-round
Hurricane Risk?
None. Winter weather is this corridor's real seasonal risk.
Seasonal Strategy Summary
Rail-connected and supplier-distribution freight both run steady through the year, with a Q4 retail bump layered on top.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Bentonville to Kansas City lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need a weather plan.
When to Book
Suggested booking window:
1-2 days out is typical for this haul.
What Brokers Pay More
Loads that command more:
Time-critical Walmart-connected retail-distribution freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a fast winter delivery without checking road conditions.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Bentonville to Kansas City
- •
Ask which of Kansas City's four intermodal terminals your load connects to, since gate hours and access differ by facility.
- •
This lane runs about 3.5 hours, so it pairs well with a same-day return if the Kansas City-side dock window cooperates.
- •
Bentonville's supplier base gives this lane's origin side real, varied freight.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Bentonville to Kansas City lane?
Kansas City's rail-intermodal scale makes a southbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Kansas City, MO
- •Regional distribution hubs near Kansas City
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 20-25%
With BNSF Logistics Park anchoring one of the country's largest intermodal centers, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •Kansas City is a major rail and intermodal hub. It creates strong southbound backhaul freight, which keeps deadhead risk manageable on this lane.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Kansas City's four intermodal terminals give this lane unusually deep backhaul variety for a market this size.
- •
The newer Armourdale terminal's 24/7 gates are worth checking if you need flexible return-load pickup timing.
- •
With about 3.5 hours of driving each way, a same-day round trip is realistic.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Bentonville to Kansas City lane?
Four notes before this rail-corridor run.
This lane pairs well with a same-day or next-day return load.
Check winter conditions before a late-fall through early-spring run.
Confirm Walmart delivery-appointment windows before committing to a tight schedule.
Compare rail-intermodal options at BNSF Logistics Park if your freight has flexible timing.
Before you book Bentonville to Kansas City, confirm which intermodal terminal your load is tied to, since gate hours and access differ by facility.
Bentonville to Kansas City Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, the rail-intermodal hub, and Walmart's distribution scale.
The lane data shows about $519 - $604 per load, or $2.45 - $2.85 a mile, across 212 miles.
About 3.5 hours for the 212 miles.
BNSF Logistics Park anchors one of the largest rail-intermodal centers in the country.
Reasonably, given the scale of Kansas City's rail-intermodal freight network.
Other Arkansas freight lanes we dispatch
- Bentonville to St. Louis
- Bentonville to Oklahoma City
- Bentonville to Nashville
- Bentonville to Springfield
- Bentonville to Little Rock
- Bentonville to New Orleans
Local resources
Also serving the other end of this lane
Dry Van owner-operator, Southeast: +$2,550/week after moving to $2.85/mi on automotive parts / retail / beverage freight.
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