Des Moines to Minneapolis Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Des Moines, IA to Minneapolis, MN (245 miles). It reaches Minneapolis's food-processing and medical device manufacturing base via I-35.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Des Moines to Minneapolis?
Des Moines to Minneapolis is a 245-mile lane paying about $637 - $735 per load, near $2.55 - $2.95 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods, agricultural freight and food-processing freight.
- Distance
- 245 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $625 - $723
- Rate per mile
- $2.55 - $2.95
- Transit time
- Same day / 4 hrs
- Deadhead risk
- 15-20%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing and rise during Iowa's harvest season. See our dispatch fee structure.
Des Moines to Minneapolis
Des Moines to Minneapolis is a 245-mile, roughly 4-hour run north on I-35, connecting Iowa's capital to the Twin Cities' distribution network. This corridor runs through the Upper Midwest's core agricultural belt, keeping steady two-way freight demand between Des Moines's food-processing base and Minneapolis-St. Paul's regional market.
Origin
Des Moines, IA
Destination
Minneapolis, MN
Distance
245 miles
Transit Time
Same day / 4 hrs
Average Rate
$625 - $723
Rate per Mile
$2.55 - $2.95
245-mile lane, about 4 hours on I-35
Des Moines sits at the crossroads of I-80 and I-35
The route runs through the Upper Midwest's core agricultural belt
Des Moines to Minneapolis: route facts a driver should know
Minnesota is projected to be Des Moines's top trading partner by 2045
By 2045, Minnesota is projected to be one of Des Moines's largest outbound and inbound freight partners by tonnage, with over 50 million tons moving each direction as regional freight volume keeps growing.
Source: Federal Highway Administration, Roundtable on the Freight Economy: Des Moines. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Minneapolis-St. Paul is served by all four major grain-hauling railroads
Minneapolis-St. Paul is served by BNSF, Union Pacific, CPKC, and Canadian National, with CPKC alone moving major volumes of grain, potash, and automotive freight across this network.
Source: Mid-America Freight Coalition, rail intermodal facilities. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Des Moines to Minneapolis?
About $239.42 this week. The lane is 245 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 38 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
- 245 mi
- Diesel needed
- 38 gal
- Price used
- $6.35/gal
- Fuel cost
- $239.42
Common Freight Types
Consumer goods, agricultural freight and food-processing freight fill the trailers heading north.
- Food Products
- Medical Devices
- Pork Products
What makes the Des Moines to Minneapolis lane difficult?
A medium-length lane keeps per-load rates in a moderate range
A medium-length lane keeps per-load rates in a moderate range.
Winter weather along I-35 through Iowa and Minnesota can affect road conditions
Winter weather along I-35 through Iowa and Minnesota can affect road conditions.
Agricultural-connected freight can be seasonal, tied to planting and harvest
Agricultural-connected freight can be seasonal, tied to planting and harvest.
What freight moves on the Des Moines to Minneapolis lane?
What travels between Des Moines and Minneapolis, and why the agricultural belt matters here.
Primary Commodities
- •Food Products
- •Medical Devices
- •Pork Products
Secondary Commodities
- •Agribusiness and food-processing-connected freight
- •Consumer goods
- •Automotive parts
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Consumer goods (holiday surge)
- •Agricultural freight (planting and harvest seasons)
- •Food-processing freight (steady)
When is the Des Moines to Minneapolis lane busiest?
Iowa's planting and harvest seasons drive this lane hard.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holidays, cushioned by steady food-processing freight.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
Consumer goods climb from October through December.
Produce Season?
A real factor tied to Iowa's spring planting and fall harvest seasons.
- •Q4 holiday retail season
- •Spring planting and fall harvest seasons
- •Winter freight slowdown around weather
Hurricane Risk?
None. Winter weather along I-35 is this corridor's real seasonal risk.
Seasonal Strategy Summary
This lane runs steady most of the year, with a seasonal bump during fall harvest as grain freight between Iowa and Minnesota picks up.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Des Moines to Minneapolis lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need harvest-season awareness.
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 food-processing and agribusiness freight tends to pay a premium during harvest season.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a fast winter delivery without checking road conditions.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Des Moines to Minneapolis
- •
Grain and agricultural freight is worth asking about on this lane, given how much tonnage already moves between these two states.
- •
At 245 miles, this is a comfortable one-day run.
- •
Rail competition on the Minneapolis end can affect truckload rates, so shop your quote.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Des Moines to Minneapolis lane?
Minneapolis-St. Paul's distribution base makes a southbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Minneapolis, MN
- •Regional distribution hubs near Minneapolis
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 15-20%
With Des Moines's diversified agribusiness economy, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •Medtech/food processing freight from Minneapolis offers a steady, diverse backhaul base.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Minneapolis's four-railroad grain corridor gives you real backhaul options, especially during harvest season.
- •
Des Moines's own agricultural and manufacturing base keeps southbound freight flowing too.
- •
Check freight tied to the Shoreham or Midway rail yards for a quick pickup.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Des Moines to Minneapolis lane?
Three notes before this I-35 corridor run.
This lane pairs well with a same-day or next-day return load.
Check Iowa and Minnesota winter conditions before a late-fall through early-spring run.
Plan around the Upper Midwest's planting and harvest seasons if your freight is agriculture-connected.
Minnesota is projected to become one of Des Moines's single biggest freight partners, so this lane is worth building a steady relationship on.
Des Moines to Minneapolis Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, the agricultural belt, and harvest season.
The lane data shows about $637 - $735 per load, or $2.55 - $2.95 a mile, across 245 miles.
About 4 hours for the 245 miles on I-35.
Yes, it runs through the Upper Midwest's core agricultural belt.
Reasonably, given the Twin Cities' distribution base.
Other Iowa freight lanes we dispatch
- Des Moines to Kansas City
- Des Moines to Chicago
- Des Moines to St. Louis
- Des Moines to Omaha
- Des Moines to Milwaukee
- Des Moines to Indianapolis
Local resources
Also serving the other end of this lane
Dry Van owner-operator, Midwest: +$1,950/week after moving to $2.65/mi on produce / auto parts freight.
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