Dallas to Nashville Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Dallas, TX to Nashville, TN (660 miles). Nashville's automotive and distribution growth supports steady freight from DFW.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Dallas to Nashville?
Dallas to Nashville is a 660-mile lane paying about $1,518 - $1,782 per load, near $2.30 - $2.70 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods, automotive-connected freight and industrial equipment.
- Distance
- 660 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $1,518 - $1,782
- Rate per mile
- $2.30 - $2.70
- Transit time
- 1-2 days
- Deadhead risk
- 30-35%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing and shift with fuel prices over this long haul. See our dispatch fee structure.
Dallas to Nashville
Dallas to Nashville is a 660-mile, roughly 10-hour run east on I-30 and I-40, connecting DFW's inland hub to Tennessee's growing automotive-manufacturing base. Nashville's metro area anchors major automotive plants and a fast-growing distribution network that keeps steady eastbound freight demand on this corridor.
Origin
Dallas, TX
Destination
Nashville, TN
Distance
660 miles
Transit Time
1-2 days
Average Rate
$1,518 - $1,782
Rate per Mile
$2.30 - $2.70
660-mile lane, about 10 hours on I-30 and I-40
Nashville's metro anchors major automotive-manufacturing plants
DFW's BNSF and Union Pacific intermodal access supports flexible origin reloads
Dallas to Nashville: route facts a driver should know
Nashville's I-65/I-24 junction is the busiest road in Tennessee
The section where I-65 and I-24 run concurrently through Nashville carried an average of 188,694 vehicles a day in 2025, the busiest stretch of road anywhere in Tennessee.
Source: Mid-America Freight Coalition, I-65 corridor profile. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
DFW Airport's air cargo hit 859,000 tons in 2025
DFW International Airport handled 858,952 tons of air cargo in 2025, up 4.9% from the year before, with cargo's annual economic impact roughly doubling to $42 billion.
Source: Air Cargo News/STAT Times, DFW cargo growth coverage. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Dallas to Nashville?
About $622.18 this week. The lane is 660 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 102 gallons, and diesel is averaging $6.13 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
- $6.13/gal
- Fuel cost
- $622.18
Common Freight Types
Consumer goods, automotive-connected freight and industrial equipment fill the trailers heading east.
- Automotive Parts
- Consumer Goods
- Building Materials
What makes the Dallas to Nashville lane difficult?
A cross-country run this long requires careful hours-of-service planning
A cross-country run this long requires careful hours-of-service planning.
Automotive-connected freight can require specific equipment or scheduling
Automotive-connected freight can require specific equipment or scheduling.
I-40 through Memphis and Nashville can see significant congestion
I-40 through Memphis and Nashville can see significant congestion.
What freight moves on the Dallas to Nashville lane?
What travels between Dallas and Nashville, and why the automotive-manufacturing base matters here.
Primary Commodities
- •Automotive Parts
- •Consumer Goods
- •Building Materials
Secondary Commodities
- •Automotive-manufacturing-connected freight
- •Consumer goods
- •Industrial equipment
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Consumer goods (holiday surge)
- •Automotive-connected freight (steady)
- •Industrial equipment (steady)
When is the Dallas to Nashville lane busiest?
Retail timing and steady automotive-connected freight both shape this lane.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holidays, cushioned by steady automotive-connected 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 automotive-manufacturing freight year-round
- •Summer freight demand
Seasonal Strategy Summary
This lane runs steady year-round, without a major seasonal swing to plan around.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Dallas to Nashville lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need a congestion buffer.
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-manufacturing freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a tight delivery through Memphis or Nashville-area congestion without a buffer.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Dallas to Nashville
- •
This is a long haul at 660 miles, so plan multi-day rest and fuel stops.
- •
Build in extra time approaching downtown Nashville, the busiest stretch of road in Tennessee.
- •
Air-cargo-linked freight out of Dallas is another option here.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Dallas to Nashville lane?
Nashville's automotive and distribution base makes a westbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Nashville, TN
- •Regional distribution hubs near Nashville
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 30-35%
With major automotive plants anchoring the metro, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •Healthcare/medical supply freight from Nashville gives steadier backhaul than pure retail.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Nashville's growing corporate and logistics base gives you real backhaul options.
- •
DFW's growing air cargo base 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 Dallas to Nashville lane?
Three notes before this long eastbound run.
Plan your hours-of-service and rest stops before this 10-hour run.
Confirm equipment requirements before hauling automotive-connected freight.
Build in extra time for congestion through the Memphis and Nashville metro areas.
This is a true long haul connecting two major freight markets.
Dallas to Nashville Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, Nashville's automotive base, and congestion.
The lane data shows about $1,518 - $1,782 per load, or $2.30 - $2.70 a mile, across 660 miles.
Its metro anchors major automotive-manufacturing plants and a fast-growing distribution network.
About 10 hours for the 660 miles on I-30 and I-40.
Reasonably, given the metro's automotive-manufacturing and distribution base.
Other Texas freight lanes we dispatch
- Dallas to St. Louis
- Dallas to New Orleans
- Dallas to San Antonio
- Dallas to Miami
- Dallas to Houston
- Dallas to Atlanta
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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