Louisville to Knoxville Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Louisville, KY to Knoxville, TN (246 miles). Connects Kentucky to East Tennessee via I-75.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Louisville to Knoxville?
Louisville to Knoxville is a 246-mile lane paying about $677 - $775 per load, near $2.75 - $3.15 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods, automotive components and food/beverage freight.
- Distance
- 246 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $677 - $775
- Rate per mile
- $2.75 - $3.15
- Transit time
- Same day / 4 hrs
- Deadhead risk
- 15-20%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing for this East Tennessee corridor. See our dispatch fee structure.
Louisville to Knoxville
Louisville to Knoxville is a 246-mile, roughly 4-hour run south, mostly on I-75, into East Tennessee's gateway between the Midwest and Southeast. Knoxville sits at the junction of I-40, I-75 and I-81, and the I-40/I-75 interchange nearby includes the busiest weigh station in the country, serving more than 2.4 million trucks a year.
Origin
Louisville, KY
Destination
Knoxville, TN
Distance
246 miles
Transit Time
Same day / 4 hrs
Average Rate
$677 - $775
Rate per Mile
$2.75 - $3.15
246-mile lane, about 4 hours on I-75
Knoxville sits at the junction of I-40, I-75 and I-81
The area's I-40/I-75 weigh station is the busiest in the country, serving 2.4 million trucks a year
Louisville to Knoxville: route facts a driver should know
Knoxville sits at the I-40/I-75 junction
Knoxville sits where I-40 and I-75 converge, putting distribution operations within reach of a large share of the US population within a two-day drive. Amazon operates a large fulfillment center nearby in Alcoa and a delivery station in Knoxville itself.
Source: Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, Amazon DNA6 delivery station. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Knoxville is a Norfolk Southern and CSX rail hub
Knoxville is served by both Norfolk Southern and CSX, with Norfolk Southern operating a bulk rail terminal just off I-275 a few miles from downtown.
Source: RSI Logistics, Knoxville rail terminal services. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Louisville to Knoxville?
About $240.40 this week. The lane is 246 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
- 246 mi
- Diesel needed
- 38 gal
- Price used
- $6.35/gal
- Fuel cost
- $240.40
Common Freight Types
Consumer goods, automotive components and food/beverage freight fill the trailers heading south.
- Consumer Goods
- Manufacturing Equipment
- Automotive Parts
What makes the Louisville to Knoxville lane difficult?
The I-75 segment through Knoxville is one of Tennessee's busiest, with over 187,000 vehicles a day
The I-75 segment through Knoxville is one of Tennessee's busiest, with over 187,000 vehicles a day.
Kentucky and Tennessee mountain stretches can see winter weather
Kentucky and Tennessee mountain stretches can see winter weather.
A short-to-medium lane keeps per-load rates in a tighter range
A short-to-medium lane keeps per-load rates in a tighter range.
What freight moves on the Louisville to Knoxville lane?
What travels between Louisville and Knoxville, and why the crossroads position matters.
Primary Commodities
- •Consumer Goods
- •Manufacturing Equipment
- •Automotive Parts
Secondary Commodities
- •Automotive components
- •Consumer goods and food/beverage freight
- •TVA and University of Tennessee-connected freight
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Consumer goods (holiday surge)
- •Automotive components (steady)
- •Food/beverage freight (steady)
When is the Louisville to Knoxville lane busiest?
Retail timing and steady automotive-component freight both shape this lane.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holidays, cushioned by steady automotive-component 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 consumer goods and automotive-components freight
- •Spring/summer construction season
Hurricane Risk?
None. Winter weather across Kentucky and Tennessee's mountains is the real seasonal risk.
Seasonal Strategy Summary
This lane runs steady year-round, with e-commerce-linked freight around Knoxville tightening up during the holiday shipping season.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Louisville to Knoxville lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need extra time.
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 automotive-component freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a tight window through Knoxville's heaviest traffic segment without extra time.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Louisville to Knoxville
- •
At 246 miles, this is a comfortable one-day run.
- •
Amazon-linked freight is worth asking about given Knoxville's growing fulfillment and delivery footprint.
- •
Rail-linked freight from Knoxville's Norfolk Southern and CSX access is another option to check.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Louisville to Knoxville lane?
Knoxville's crossroads position at three interstates makes a northbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the northbound load:
- •Knoxville, TN
- •Regional distribution hubs near Knoxville
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 15-20%
With major warehouse activity along the I-40/75 interchange and US-11W corridor, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •A short regional corridor with dependable freight.
- •Pre-book return freight on load boards before you arrive, so you don't sit empty
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Knoxville's growing distribution base gives you real backhaul options.
- •
Louisville's UPS hub keeps freight flowing steadily in both directions too.
- •
Check freight tied to Amazon's Knoxville-area facilities for a quick pickup.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Louisville to Knoxville lane?
Three notes before this East Tennessee run.
Build extra time into a Knoxville-area delivery given the metro's heavy traffic.
Check winter conditions across Kentucky and Tennessee.
Budget extra time at the Farragut weigh station given its high truck volume.
Amazon's growing Knoxville-area footprint is worth knowing. Ask about freight tied to its Alcoa fulfillment center or the Knoxville delivery station.
Louisville to Knoxville Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, Knoxville's crossroads position, and the busy weigh station.
The lane data shows about $677 - $775 per load, or $2.75 - $3.15 a mile, across 246 miles.
It sits at the junction of I-40, I-75 and I-81, putting it within a day's drive of 70% of US markets.
The one on I-40/I-75 in Farragut, a Knoxville suburb, which serves more than 2.4 million trucks a year.
Reasonably, given the region's major warehouse and distribution activity along the interstate interchange.
Other Kentucky freight lanes we dispatch
- Louisville to Pittsburgh
- Louisville to Charleston
- Louisville to Kansas City
- Louisville to Nashville
- Louisville to Cincinnati
- Louisville to Indianapolis
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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