Kansas City to St. Louis Freight Rates & Lane Guide (2024)

Kansas City, Missouri → St. Louis, Missouri · 250 miles

Last verified: March 31, 2026 Source: DAT Freight & Analytics

Current Rate Benchmarks

FTL Dry Van

$3.60

Range: $2.90–$4.50/mile

Before fuel surcharge (~22% FSC)

LTL (Class 70)

$39.00

Range: $NaN–$NaN/cwt

Before fuel surcharge

FTL Transit Time

1 day

250 mile corridor

Standard single-driver service

Fuel Surcharge

22%

Applied to linehaul rate

Source: EIA weekly diesel avg

Lane Profile

Route	Kansas City, Missouri → St. Louis, Missouri
Distance	250 miles
Lane Type	regional
Lane Direction	⚖️ Balanced (strong bi-directional demand)
Peak Season	Q4 holiday, Q3 harvest season
Active Carriers	~380 carriers serving this lane

Market Context & Analysis

Kansas City to St. Louis is Missouri's primary intrastate freight corridor connecting two of the Midwest's major distribution hubs. Agricultural commodities, automotive parts, and consumer goods dominate. Both cities serve as major rail gateways adding multimodal competition.

Shipper Tips for This Lane

Intrastate corridor with high carrier competition — rates are competitive. Rail intermodal via UP or BNSF offers cost savings. St. Louis riverport and KC rail hub create strong multimodal alternatives.

How to Calculate Total FTL Cost

The all-in FTL cost for this lane is calculated as:

All-in cost estimate: 250 miles × $3.60/mile = $900 base + fuel surcharge (~22%) = ~$9,200 all-in

This estimate excludes accessorial charges (liftgate, inside delivery, residential surcharges, detention, and driver layover). Use our landed cost calculator for a comprehensive total cost of ownership.

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