Des Moines to Cedar Rapids Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Des Moines, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA (130 miles). Connects Des Moines to Cedar Rapids's manufacturing/food-processing base via I-80.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Des Moines to Cedar Rapids?
Des Moines to Cedar Rapids is a 130-mile lane paying about $345 - $397 per load, near $2.65 - $3.05 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods, logistics-park-connected freight and rail-served freight.
- Distance
- 130 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $344 - $396
- Rate per mile
- $2.65 - $3.05
- Transit time
- Same day / 2 hrs
- Deadhead risk
- 10-15%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing for a short, high-rate-per-mile lane. See our dispatch fee structure.
Des Moines to Cedar Rapids
Des Moines to Cedar Rapids is a 130-mile, roughly 2-hour run northeast on I-80 and I-380, connecting Iowa's capital to a logistics hub within a day's truck drive of more than 72 million North American consumers. Cedar Rapids is home to CRST, a freight company founded in 1955 with more than 30,000 transportation service providers and $1.5 billion in annual revenue.
Origin
Des Moines, IA
Destination
Cedar Rapids, IA
Distance
130 miles
Transit Time
Same day / 2 hrs
Average Rate
$344 - $396
Rate per Mile
$2.65 - $3.05
130-mile lane, about 2 hours on I-80 and I-380
Cedar Rapids is within a day's truck drive of more than 72 million North American consumers
Cedar Rapids-based CRST has more than 30,000 transportation service providers and $1.5 billion in annual revenue
Des Moines to Cedar Rapids: route facts a driver should know
Cedar Rapids calls itself the corn processing capital of the world
Cedar Rapids is home to major corn-processing plants run by both ADM and Cargill. ADM alone runs a dry mill and a wet mill there, together capable of producing 540 million gallons of ethanol a year.
Source: ADM, Cedar Rapids ethanol expansion announcement. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Over 1,000 grain trucks move through Cedar Rapids every day
ADM's Cedar Rapids operations alone process roughly 750,000 bushels of corn a day, with more than 1,000 trucks of grain moving through the city daily to keep the mills running.
Source: AgWeb, Cedar Rapids corn demand coverage. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Des Moines to Cedar Rapids?
About $127.04 this week. The lane is 130 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 20 gallons, and diesel is averaging $6.35 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 this region, not the price at each pump. Your mpg and fuel card discounts change it.
- Distance
- 130 mi
- Diesel needed
- 20 gal
- Price used
- $6.35/gal
- Fuel cost
- $127.04
Common Freight Types
Consumer goods, logistics-park-connected freight and rail-served freight fill the trailers heading northeast.
- Manufacturing Equipment
- Food Products
- Consumer Goods
What makes the Des Moines to Cedar Rapids lane difficult?
A very short lane keeps per-load rates in a tighter range
A very short lane keeps per-load rates in a tighter range.
Cedar Rapids's industrial vacancy rose to about 8
Cedar Rapids's industrial vacancy rose to about 8.83% at the end of 2025, reflecting new supply.
Winter weather along I-380 can occasionally affect road conditions
Winter weather along I-380 can occasionally affect road conditions.
What freight moves on the Des Moines to Cedar Rapids lane?
What travels between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, and why CRST and the region's logistics reach matter here.
Primary Commodities
- •Manufacturing Equipment
- •Food Products
- •Consumer Goods
Secondary Commodities
- •Logistics-park-connected freight
- •Rail-served/transload-connected freight (Travero)
- •Consumer goods
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Consumer goods (holiday surge)
- •Logistics-connected freight (steady)
- •Rail-served freight (steady)
When is the Des Moines to Cedar Rapids lane busiest?
Retail timing and steady logistics-connected freight both shape this lane.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holidays, cushioned by steady logistics-connected freight.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
Consumer goods climb from October through December.
Produce Season?
Not a major factor on this lane.
- •Q4 holiday retail season
- •Steady logistics-park-connected freight year-round
- •Summer freight demand
Hurricane Risk?
None. Occasional winter weather along I-380 is this corridor's real seasonal risk.
Seasonal Strategy Summary
This lane runs steady year-round, with a seasonal bump during fall harvest as grain deliveries to Cedar Rapids's mills pick up.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Des Moines to Cedar Rapids lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need a market check.
When to Book
Suggested booking window:
Same-day booking is typical for this short, fast-turning lane.
What Brokers Pay More
Loads that command more:
Time-critical logistics-park and rail-served-connected freight can pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a slow-season load given recent new industrial supply without checking current rates.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Des Moines to Cedar Rapids
- •
At just 130 miles, this is one of the shortest lanes we track, so more than one load a day is realistic.
- •
Grain and ethanol-linked freight is worth asking about given Cedar Rapids's huge corn-processing base.
- •
This short lane pairs well with a same-day round trip if timing allows.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Des Moines to Cedar Rapids lane?
Cedar Rapids's central-US reach makes a southwestbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Cedar Rapids, IA
- •Regional distribution hubs near Cedar Rapids
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 10-15%
With CRST's 30,000+ transportation providers and a planned 145-acre logistics park, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •Collins Aerospace and grain-processing freight from Cedar Rapids offer a varied, non-seasonal backhaul base.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
With over 1,000 grain trucks moving through Cedar Rapids daily, backhaul freight is rarely hard to find.
- •
Des Moines's own agricultural base keeps westbound loads flowing too.
- •
This lane is short enough to plan more than one trip a day.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Des Moines to Cedar Rapids lane?
Three notes before this short manufacturing-corridor run.
This lane pairs well with two or more turns in a single day.
Check current Cedar Rapids-area freight-market rates given recent new industrial supply.
Check I-380 winter conditions during occasional storms.
Cedar Rapids moves over 1,000 grain trucks a day just for ADM's operations. This is one of the most reliably busy short lanes we track.
Des Moines to Cedar Rapids Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, CRST, and the region's central-US reach.
The lane data shows about $345 - $397 per load, or $2.65 - $3.05 a mile, across 130 miles.
It's within a day's truck drive of more than 72 million North American consumers and is home to CRST, a major freight company founded in 1955.
About 2 hours for the 130 miles.
Reasonably, though recent new industrial supply means it's worth checking current market rates.
Other Iowa freight lanes we dispatch
- Des Moines to Dallas
- Des Moines to Davenport
- Des Moines to Detroit
- Des Moines to Rockford
- Des Moines to Chicago
- Des Moines to Minneapolis
Local resources
Dry Van owner-operator, Midwest: +$1,950/week after moving to $2.65/mi on produce / auto parts freight.
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