Denver to St. Louis Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Denver, CO to St. Louis, MO (855 miles). St. Louis's tri-modal hub status connects via I-70.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Denver to St. Louis?
Denver to St. Louis is an 855-mile lane paying about $1,838 - $2,180 per load, near $2.15 - $2.55 a mile. Freight is mostly food products, industrial equipment and consumer goods.
- Distance
- 855 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $1,838 - $2,180
- Rate per mile
- $2.15 - $2.55
- Transit time
- 2 days
- Deadhead risk
- 30-35%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing and shift with fuel prices over this long haul. See our dispatch fee structure.
Denver to St. Louis
Denver to St. Louis is an 855-mile, 2-day run east on I-70 the whole way, ending at the country's third largest rail hub. Both Kansas City and St. Louis rank among the top 10 US intermodal hubs, with the BNSF Lindenwood Yard and Norfolk Southern's Luther Intermodal Yard both serving the St. Louis region, and the Port of St. Louis is the busiest inland port in the United States. St. Louis County's manufacturing and logistics sector continues to draw distribution investment.
Origin
Denver, CO
Destination
St. Louis, MO
Distance
855 miles
Transit Time
2 days
Average Rate
$1,838 - $2,180
Rate per Mile
$2.15 - $2.55
855-mile lane, typically a 2-day run entirely on I-70
St. Louis is the third largest rail hub in the nation
The Port of St. Louis is the busiest inland port in the United States
Denver to St. Louis: route facts a driver should know
This route runs flat plains, not the mountain corridor
The Denver-to-St. Louis lane runs east across Kansas and Missouri's flat plains, avoiding the I-70 mountain corridor's tunnel and hazmat restrictions entirely once past the Front Range.
Source: Colorado Department of Transportation, Mountain Rules. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
St. Louis has nearly $9 billion in priority freight projects planned
St. Louis sits at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and the region's priority freight-infrastructure project pipeline approached $9 billion in planned 2026 investment.
Source: St. Louis Regional Freightway, 2026 priority projects report. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
A long lane: plan for a real HOS break
FMCSA requires a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving without one. This 855-mile lane runs close to a full driving day, 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 Denver to St. Louis?
About $840.14 this week. The lane is 855 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 132 gallons, and diesel is averaging $6.39 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
- 855 mi
- Diesel needed
- 132 gal
- Price used
- $6.39/gal
- Fuel cost
- $840.14
Common Freight Types
Food products, industrial equipment and consumer goods fill the trailers on this cross-country run.
- Food Products
- Industrial Equipment
- Consumer Goods
What makes the Denver to St. Louis lane difficult?
The length requires a realistic multi-day HOS plan
The length requires a realistic multi-day HOS plan.
Kansas and Missouri stretches of I-70 are long, with real winter weather potential
Kansas and Missouri stretches of I-70 are long, with real winter weather potential.
St
St. Louis metro traffic near the rail yards can be heavy.
What freight moves on the Denver to St. Louis lane?
What travels between Denver and St. Louis, and when the busy weeks fall.
Primary Commodities
- •Food Products
- •Industrial Equipment
- •Consumer Goods
Secondary Commodities
- •BNSF and Norfolk Southern intermodal freight
- •Industrial equipment
- •Food products
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Food products (steady)
- •Industrial equipment (steady)
- •Consumer goods (holiday surge)
When is the Denver to St. Louis lane busiest?
Retail timing sets the main peak on this long haul.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holidays, cushioned by steady industrial and food-processing freight.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
Consumer goods and industrial freight both climb into the fall and winter.
Produce Season?
A modest factor tied to fall harvest freight along the route.
- •Q4 holiday retail season
- •Steady industrial-equipment freight
- •Fall harvest freight along the route
Seasonal Strategy Summary
Distribution freight on this flat-plains lane runs steady year-round, with winter weather across Kansas the main seasonal risk on the western leg.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Denver to St. Louis lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need extra HOS planning.
When to Book
Suggested booking window:
3-5 days out is typical for a haul this long.
What Brokers Pay More
Loads that command more:
Time-critical rail-intermodal connector freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a fast delivery through St. Louis during a winter storm without a weather contingency.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Denver to St. Louis
- •
This eastbound route avoids the I-70 mountain corridor's restrictions once you're past the Denver metro, making it reliable for hazmat or over-height freight.
- •
This lane runs close to a full driving day, so plan your required HOS break into the schedule.
- •
St. Louis's growing freight-infrastructure pipeline points to steady, expanding demand on this lane.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Denver to St. Louis lane?
St. Louis's scale as the third largest US rail hub makes a westbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the westbound load:
- •St. Louis, MO
- •Regional distribution hubs near St. Louis
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 30-35%
Check both the BNSF Lindenwood Yard and Norfolk Southern's Luther Yard for reload freight.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •St. Louis's varied freight base offers many backhaul options that don't rise and fall together.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
St. Louis's multimodal river-and-rail hub status gives this lane real backhaul variety, with even more investment coming.
- •
Consider a mid-route reload near Kansas City if a full round trip doesn't pencil out on one load.
- •
Book your St. Louis-area return load before you deliver, given the length of this haul.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Denver to St. Louis lane?
Three notes before this cross-country run.
Plan your rest stops before you leave Denver on a run this long.
Check KDOT and MoDOT conditions across the plains in winter.
If reloading through St. Louis, check both the BNSF Lindenwood Yard and Norfolk Southern's Luther Yard for freight.
Before you book Denver to St. Louis, plan your required HOS break, since this lane runs close to a full driving day.
Denver to St. Louis Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, HOS planning, and St. Louis's rail hub.
The lane data shows about $1,838 - $2,180 per load, or $2.15 - $2.55 a mile, across 855 miles.
It is the third largest rail hub in the nation, home to major BNSF and Norfolk Southern intermodal yards, and the Port of St. Louis is the busiest inland port in the US.
Typically 2 days, requiring a realistic multi-day HOS plan.
Yes, generally, given its scale as a top-10 US intermodal hub.
Other Colorado freight lanes we dispatch
- Denver to Amarillo
- Denver to Cheyenne
- Denver to Grand Junction
- Denver to Boise
- Denver to Minneapolis
- Denver to Kansas City
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.
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