Billings to Sioux Falls Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Billings, MT to Sioux Falls, SD (625 miles). Long southeastward route via I-90 the entire way through South Dakota. Largely open high-plains terrain, passing near the Black Hills.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Billings to Sioux Falls?
Billings to Sioux Falls is a 625-mile lane paying about $1,406 - $1,688 per load, near $2.25 - $2.70 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods, financial/healthcare-services-connected freight and agricultural/rail-connected freight.
- Distance
- 625 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $1469 - $1719
- Rate per mile
- $2.35 - $2.75
- Transit time
- 2 days
- Deadhead risk
- 15-20%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing for this long Northern Rockies-to-Northern Plains corridor. See our dispatch fee structure.
Billings to Sioux Falls
Billings to Sioux Falls is a 625-mile, multi-day run east, connecting Montana's biggest freight hub to South Dakota's biggest financial and healthcare-services hub. This long Northern Plains corridor pairs Billings's rail-connected commodity base with Sioux Falls's growing banking and medical-distribution economy.
Origin
Billings, MT
Destination
Sioux Falls, SD
Distance
625 miles
Transit Time
2 days
Average Rate
$1469 - $1719
Rate per Mile
$2.35 - $2.75
625-mile lane, a multi-day run east
Sioux Falls anchors a growing financial and healthcare-services hub
A long Northern Rockies-to-Northern Plains corridor
Billings to Sioux Falls: route facts a driver should know
Sioux Falls is home to a growing $1.3 billion Smithfield plant
Smithfield Foods announced a $1.3 billion investment in February 2026 to build a new packaged-meat and fresh-pork plant in Sioux Falls, spanning over 1.1 million square feet, which will become the largest combined processing facility in Smithfield's network.
Source: DTN/Progressive Farmer, Smithfield Sioux Falls investment 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 Sioux Falls?
About $614.13 this week. The lane is 625 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 96 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
- 625 mi
- Diesel needed
- 96 gal
- Price used
- $6.39/gal
- Fuel cost
- $614.13
Common Freight Types
Consumer goods, financial/healthcare-services-connected freight and agricultural/rail-connected freight fill the trailers heading east.
- Consumer Goods
- Agricultural Products
- Retail Distribution
What makes the Billings to Sioux Falls lane difficult?
The length requires a full multi-day trip plan with fuel and rest stops mapped in advance
The length requires a full multi-day trip plan with fuel and rest stops mapped in advance.
Winter weather across Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota can significantly affect road conditions
Winter weather across Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota can significantly affect road conditions.
Sparse population across much of the route limits mid-lane reload options
Sparse population across much of the route limits mid-lane reload options.
What freight moves on the Billings to Sioux Falls lane?
What travels between Billings and Sioux Falls, and why the growing financial-services hub matters here.
Primary Commodities
- •Consumer Goods
- •Agricultural Products
- •Retail Distribution
Secondary Commodities
- •Financial/healthcare-services-connected freight (Sioux Falls)
- •Agricultural/rail-connected freight (Billings)
- •Consumer goods
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Consumer goods (holiday surge)
- •Financial/healthcare-services-connected freight (steady)
- •Agricultural/rail-connected freight (steady)
When is the Billings to Sioux Falls lane busiest?
Retail timing and Billings's rail-connected freight base both shape this lane.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holidays, cushioned by steady financial/healthcare-services 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 financial/healthcare-services-connected freight year-round
- •Summer freight demand
Hurricane Risk?
None. Winter weather across the northern Plains is this corridor's real seasonal risk.
Seasonal Strategy Summary
This lane runs steady year-round, tracking Sioux Falls's consistent meat-processing schedule.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Billings to Sioux Falls lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need extra planning.
When to Book
Suggested booking window:
2-3 days out is typical for a haul this long.
What Brokers Pay More
Loads that command more:
Time-critical financial/healthcare-services-connected freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a tight winter delivery without checking road conditions across three states.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Billings to Sioux Falls
- •
This is a long haul at 650 miles, so plan multi-day rest and fuel stops.
- •
Reefer and meat-processing freight is worth asking about given Sioux Falls's massive new Smithfield investment.
- •
Fuel and tanker freight out of Billings is another option here.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Billings to Sioux Falls lane?
Sioux Falls's financial and healthcare-services growth makes a westbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Sioux Falls
- •Rapid City
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 15-20%
With a growing banking and medical-distribution economy, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •Meatpacking/refrigerated freight from Sioux Falls offers a steady, non-seasonal backhaul base.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Sioux Falls's growing meat-processing base gives you real backhaul options for reefer freight.
- •
Billings's three-refinery fuel economy keeps westbound 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 Sioux Falls lane?
Three notes before this long Northern Plains run.
Plan your multi-day route with fuel and rest stops before departing.
Check Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota winter road conditions closely before a late-fall through early-spring run.
Consider agricultural and rail-connected freight windows tied to Billings's production cycles for this corridor's origin side.
Smithfield's $1.3 billion Sioux Falls plant is a genuinely growing, multi-year freight source worth building a relationship around.
Billings to Sioux Falls Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, Sioux Falls's growth, and multi-state weather.
The lane data shows about $1,406 - $1,688 per load, or $2.25 - $2.70 a mile, across 625 miles.
It's a multi-day run given the 625 miles.
It anchors a growing financial and healthcare-services hub for the region.
Reasonably, given the metro's growing financial and healthcare-services economy.
Other Montana freight lanes we dispatch
- Billings to Denver
- Billings to Kalispell
- Billings to Minneapolis
- Billings to Spokane
- Billings to Calgary
- Billings to Sidney
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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