Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

St. Louis, MO to Des Moines, IA reefer rate

$1,721reefer

−0.2% from last month

Per mile: $5.41
Distance: 318 mi
Typical range: $1,497–$1,945
Transit: 1 day

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

St. Louis to Des Moines price history

3 months: +1.7%
1 year: +35.9%
5 years: +3.4%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,395
Fuel: $326
All-in estimate: $1,721

Return trip

Des Moines → St. Louis$1,698

This direction runs 1% above the return trip. Leaving MO prices above the national average and arriving in IA prices below it.

St. Louis to Des Moines by truck type

Estimated cost from St. Louis, MO to Des Moines, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,441	$4.53	$1,282 – $1,599
53' refrigerated	$1,721	$5.41	$1,497 – $1,945
48' flatbed	$1,809	$5.69	$1,556 – $2,063
Step deck	$1,985	$6.24	$1,668 – $2,303
Power only	$1,233	$3.88	$1,072 – $1,393
Hotshot	$928	$2.92	$771 – $1,086
26' box truck	$925	$2.91	$786 – $1,064
Sprinter van	$576	$1.81	$484 – $669

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The index is an estimate. For a price you can act on, ask connected freight providers for a live 53' dry van rate, or send the load details and get quoted for any truck type.

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More lanes from St. Louis

53' refrigerated lanes from St. Louis, MO
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,035 mi	$5,155	$4.98	$4,485 – $5,825	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,880 mi	$6,354	$3.38	$5,528 – $7,180	4 d
Chicago, IL	306 mi	$1,649	$5.39	$1,435 – $1,864	1 d
Houston, TX	800 mi	$3,252	$4.06	$2,829 – $3,675	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,493 mi	$5,741	$3.85	$4,995 – $6,487	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	958 mi	$4,612	$4.81	$4,013 – $5,212	2 d
San Antonio, TX	933 mi	$3,661	$3.92	$3,185 – $4,137	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,835 mi	$6,221	$3.39	$5,412 – $7,029	4 d

More lanes into Des Moines

53' refrigerated lanes into Des Moines, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,208 mi	$3,955	$3.27	$3,441 – $4,469	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,705 mi	$7,081	$4.15	$6,160 – $8,001	4 d
Chicago, IL	361 mi	$2,014	$5.58	$1,752 – $2,276	1 d
Houston, TX	968 mi	$3,114	$3.22	$2,709 – $3,519	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,357 mi	$3,347	$2.47	$2,912 – $3,783	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,145 mi	$3,361	$2.94	$2,924 – $3,798	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,039 mi	$3,295	$3.17	$2,866 – $3,723	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,679 mi	$6,987	$4.16	$6,078 – $7,895	4 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from St. Louis, MO to Des Moines, IA?

A 53' refrigerated from St. Louis, MO to Des Moines, IA is estimated at $1,721 all-in in October 2026, or $5.41 a mile over about 318 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,497 and $1,945.

How far is St. Louis, MO from Des Moines, IA by truck?

About 318 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 1 day of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $326 of the $1,721 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,395 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Des Moines, IA to St. Louis, MO?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,698, which makes St. Louis, MO to Des Moines, IA 1% more expensive. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Figures are estimates for a standard full load. Get a firm quote for this lane →