Billings to Missoula Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Billings, MT to Missoula, MT (340 miles). Connects Billings to western Montana's timber/forest products base via I-90.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Billings to Missoula?
Billings to Missoula is a 340-mile lane paying about $833 - $986 per load, near $2.45 - $2.90 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods, timber/lumber-connected freight and agricultural-connected freight.
- Distance
- 340 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $833 - $969
- Rate per mile
- $2.45 - $2.85
- Transit time
- 1 day
- Deadhead risk
- 20-25%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing for this Northern Rockies corridor. See our dispatch fee structure.
Billings to Missoula
Billings to Missoula is a 340-mile, multi-hour run west on I-90, connecting Montana's biggest freight hub to a key Northern Rockies transportation and logistics center. Missoula is served by both Montana Rail Link and BNSF Railway, with strong timber, agricultural and manufactured-goods freight, and is one of Montana's major intermodal facilities for air freight.
Origin
Billings, MT
Destination
Missoula, MT
Distance
340 miles
Transit Time
1 day
Average Rate
$833 - $969
Rate per Mile
$2.45 - $2.85
340-mile lane, a multi-hour run on I-90
Missoula is served by both Montana Rail Link and BNSF Railway
One of Montana's major intermodal facilities for air freight, along I-90's connection to Seattle, Spokane and Minneapolis
Billings to Missoula: route facts a driver should know
Missoula's timber industry has shrunk sharply in recent years
Missoula County's timber sector has been shrinking, not growing: Roseburg Forest Products and Pyramid Mountain Lumber closed in 2024, and UFP Edge closed in 2025, a combined loss of about 350 jobs marking what one economist called the end of 150 years of wood products as a driver of the local economy.
Source: Montana State University Exponent, forestry industry decline coverage. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Billings runs three oil refineries
Yellowstone County is home to three oil refineries: Phillips 66 in Billings, Par Pacific in Lockwood, and CHS Inc. in nearby Laurel, making Billings a genuine fuel-freight hub.
Source: Wikipedia, Billings Refinery (Phillips 66). Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Billings to Missoula?
About $335.92 this week. The lane is 340 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 52 gallons, and diesel is averaging $6.42 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
- 340 mi
- Diesel needed
- 52 gal
- Price used
- $6.42/gal
- Fuel cost
- $335.92
Common Freight Types
Consumer goods, timber/lumber-connected freight and agricultural-connected freight fill the trailers heading west.
- Timber Products
- Agricultural Products
- Consumer Goods
What makes the Billings to Missoula lane difficult?
Winter weather across Montana's mountain passes can significantly affect road conditions
Winter weather across Montana's mountain passes can significantly affect road conditions.
Timber-connected freight can require specialized flatbed equipment
Timber-connected freight can require specialized flatbed equipment.
A medium-length lane keeps per-load rates in a moderate range
A medium-length lane keeps per-load rates in a moderate range.
What freight moves on the Billings to Missoula lane?
What travels between Billings and Missoula, and why the dual-rail timber hub matters here.
Primary Commodities
- •Timber Products
- •Agricultural Products
- •Consumer Goods
Secondary Commodities
- •Timber/lumber-connected freight (Missoula)
- •Agricultural-connected freight
- •Consumer goods
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Timber/lumber freight (steady)
- •Consumer goods (holiday surge)
- •Agricultural-connected freight (fall harvest)
When is the Billings to Missoula lane busiest?
Steady timber-industry freight shapes this lane more than any retail calendar.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holidays, cushioned by steady timber-connected freight.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
Consumer goods climb modestly from October through December.
Produce Season?
The fall harvest is a real factor for this corridor's agricultural freight.
- •Steady timber/agricultural freight year-round
- •Q4 holiday retail season
- •Summer construction season
Hurricane Risk?
None. Winter mountain-pass conditions are this corridor's real seasonal risk.
Seasonal Strategy Summary
This lane runs fairly steady year-round, without a major seasonal swing to plan around.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Billings to Missoula lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need special equipment.
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 timber-connected freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a tight winter delivery without checking mountain-pass conditions.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Billings to Missoula
- •
This is a long haul at 340 miles, so plan for a solid one-day trip.
- •
Missoula's timber-manufacturing base has shrunk sharply since 2024, so confirm current freight volume before committing capacity there.
- •
Fuel and tanker freight out of Billings is another option here.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Billings to Missoula lane?
Missoula's dual-rail service makes an eastbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Missoula, MT
- •Regional distribution hubs near Missoula
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 20-25%
With both Montana Rail Link and BNSF serving the city, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •Timber-industry freight from Missoula is a steady, though weather-seasonal, backhaul base.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Missoula's university and outdoor-recreation economy gives you some backhaul options, though the timber-freight base has declined.
- •
Billings's three-refinery fuel economy keeps eastbound loads flowing too.
- •
Give yourself real recovery time after this long run before your next dispatch.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Billings to Missoula lane?
Three notes before this Northern Rockies timber-corridor run.
Check Montana mountain-pass winter conditions before a late-fall through early-spring run.
Confirm specialized equipment before hauling timber-connected freight.
This lane pairs well with a return load out of Missoula's dual-rail-connected freight base.
Missoula's timber-manufacturing base has declined sharply since 2024. University of Montana and outdoor-recreation freight are steadier bets now.
Billings to Missoula Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, Missoula's rail service, and timber freight.
The lane data shows about $833 - $986 per load, or $2.45 - $2.90 a mile, across 340 miles.
It's served by both Montana Rail Link and BNSF Railway, with strong timber, agricultural and manufactured-goods freight, and connects via I-90 to Seattle, Spokane and Minneapolis.
It's a multi-hour run given the 340 miles.
Reasonably, given the city's dual-rail service and timber-industry freight base.
Other Montana freight lanes we dispatch
- Billings to Bismarck
- Billings to Great Falls
- Billings to Boise
- Billings to Portland
- Billings to Salt Lake City
- Billings to Rapid City
Local resources
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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