Sioux Falls to Billings Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Sioux Falls, SD to Billings, MT (660 miles). Connects Sioux Falls to Montana's energy/agricultural freight base via I-90.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Sioux Falls to Billings?
Sioux Falls to Billings is a 660-mile lane paying about $1,452 - $1,749 per load, near $2.20 - $2.65 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods, rail-connected freight and agricultural/cattle-connected freight.
- Distance
- 660 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $1,485 - $1,749
- Rate per mile
- $2.25 - $2.65
- Transit time
- 1-2 days
- Deadhead risk
- 30-35%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing for this long Northern Plains-to-Rockies corridor. See our dispatch fee structure.
Sioux Falls to Billings
Sioux Falls to Billings is a 660-mile, multi-day run west, connecting South Dakota's biggest freight gateway to Montana's largest city, known as the "rail hub of the West." Billings sits where I-90 and I-94 meet and is served by BNSF Railway and Montana Rail Link, with beets, grain, cattle and coal moving in or out of the city every day.
Origin
Sioux Falls, SD
Destination
Billings, MT
Distance
660 miles
Transit Time
1-2 days
Average Rate
$1,485 - $1,749
Rate per Mile
$2.25 - $2.65
660-mile lane, a multi-day run west
Billings is known as the "rail hub of the West," served by BNSF Railway and Montana Rail Link
Beets, grain, cattle and coal move in or out of Billings every day
Sioux Falls to Billings: route facts a driver should know
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.
Sioux Falls is the country's credit-card processing capital
Citibank relocated its primary credit-card center from New York to Sioux Falls in 1981, and the operation now employs 3,000-plus workers. South Dakota has no state personal or corporate income tax.
Source: Sioux Falls Development, taxes and incentives overview. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Sioux Falls to Billings?
About $648.53 this week. The lane is 660 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 102 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
- 660 mi
- Diesel needed
- 102 gal
- Price used
- $6.39/gal
- Fuel cost
- $648.53
Common Freight Types
Consumer goods, rail-connected freight and agricultural/cattle-connected freight fill the trailers heading west.
- Energy Equipment
- Agricultural Products
- Consumer Goods
What makes the Sioux Falls to Billings lane difficult?
The length requires careful hours-of-service and fuel-stop planning
The length requires careful hours-of-service and fuel-stop planning.
Winter weather across South Dakota and Montana can significantly affect road conditions
Winter weather across South Dakota and Montana can significantly affect road conditions.
Sparse population along much of the route limits mid-lane reload options
Sparse population along much of the route limits mid-lane reload options.
What freight moves on the Sioux Falls to Billings lane?
What travels between Sioux Falls and Billings, and why the "rail hub of the West" matters here.
Primary Commodities
- •Energy Equipment
- •Agricultural Products
- •Consumer Goods
Secondary Commodities
- •Rail-connected freight (BNSF, Montana Rail Link)
- •Agricultural/cattle-connected freight
- •Consumer goods
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Grain and cattle (fall harvest and shipping season)
- •Consumer goods (holiday surge)
- •Coal/energy-connected freight (steady)
When is the Sioux Falls to Billings lane busiest?
Fall harvest and cattle-shipping season drive this lane's demand.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after harvest and holiday season wind down.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
Consumer goods climb from October through December.
Produce Season?
The fall harvest and cattle-shipping season is a real factor for this corridor.
- •Fall harvest and cattle-shipping season
- •Q4 holiday retail season
- •Steady rail-connected freight year-round
Hurricane Risk?
None. Winter weather across South Dakota and Montana is this corridor's real seasonal risk.
Seasonal Strategy Summary
This lane runs steady year-round, tracking the refineries' consistent production schedule.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Sioux Falls to Billings 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 rail-connected and agricultural 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.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Sioux Falls to Billings
- •
This is a long haul at 650 miles, so plan multi-day rest and fuel stops.
- •
Fuel and tanker freight is worth asking about given Billings's three active oil refineries.
- •
Financial-services-linked freight out of Sioux Falls is another option here.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Sioux Falls to Billings lane?
Billings's rail-hub role makes an eastbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Billings, MT
- •Regional distribution hubs near Billings
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 30-35%
With BNSF Railway and Montana Rail Link both serving the city, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •Energy/farm freight from Billings offers a backhaul option despite the long return distance.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Billings's three-refinery fuel economy gives you real backhaul options for tanker freight.
- •
Sioux Falls's financial-services and meat-processing base 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 Sioux Falls to Billings lane?
Three notes before this Northern Rockies corridor run.
Plan your hours-of-service and fuel stops before this multi-day cross-state run.
Check South Dakota and Montana winter road conditions closely before a late-fall through early-spring run.
Consider agricultural and energy-connected freight windows tied to the region's beet, grain, cattle and coal cycles.
If you haul tanker freight, Billings's three refineries make this a strong lane to prioritize.
Sioux Falls to Billings Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, Billings's rail-hub role, and seasonal freight.
The lane data shows about $1,452 - $1,749 per load, or $2.20 - $2.65 a mile, across 660 miles.
It sits where I-90 and I-94 meet and is served by BNSF Railway and Montana Rail Link, with beets, grain, cattle and coal moving through daily.
It's a multi-day run given the 660 miles.
Reasonably, given the city's rail-hub role and diversified commodity base.
Other South Dakota freight lanes we dispatch
- Sioux Falls to Green Bay
- Sioux Falls to Bismarck
- Sioux Falls to Salt Lake City
- Sioux Falls to Minneapolis
- Sioux Falls to Omaha
- Sioux Falls to Fargo
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.
Read the case studyNeed help running Sioux Falls, SD to Billings, MT consistently?
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