Louisiana Truck Dispatch: I-10, River Plants, Gulf Freight
Louisiana truck dispatch focuses on the dry freight from river plants, ports and mills along I-10, in a state where water and pipelines move most heavy cargo. We book Louisiana loads remotely for a flat 6% or 8% of weekly gross.
Figures and rules checked October 30, 2026
Louisiana moves most of its freight by water and pipeline. In the federal Freight Analysis Framework (FAF6, base year 2022), trucks carried only about 28% of the tons that started in Louisiana, one of the lowest truck shares of any state, because the Mississippi River, the Gulf and the pipelines do so much of the heavy lifting. What's left for trucks is still a lot of freight, and much of it is the kind owner-operators can haul.
The state's truck freight is slightly outbound. About 37 million tons left Louisiana by truck for other states in 2022 and about 35 million came in, with Texas by far the biggest partner in both directions.
What Louisiana ships by truck
| Freight | Truck tons, 2022 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Other agricultural products | About 40 million | Sugarcane, rice, soybeans and other crops, much of it short haul to mills and river elevators |
| Cereal grains | About 19 million | Mostly in grain trailers to river terminals |
| Nonmetal mineral products | About 14 million | Building materials |
| Basic chemicals | About 12 million | Mostly tanker and hazmat freight we don't book |
| Wood products | About 7.5 million | North and central Louisiana forests |
| Plastics and rubber | About 5.6 million | Resin and plastic goods from Gulf Coast plants, often good dry van freight |
Source: FAF6 truck tons originating in Louisiana.
Louisiana's freight areas
- New Orleans: the port, food and beverage distribution, and the junction of I-10 and I-55 with access to I-59 and I-12.
- Baton Rouge and the river corridor: plants and terminals along the Mississippi between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, producing plastics, chemicals and packaged goods.
- Lake Charles: petrochemical and LNG plants near the Texas line on I-10.
- Lafayette and Acadiana: oilfield service, sugarcane and rice country.
- Shreveport and north Louisiana: forest products, manufacturing and the I-20 and I-49 corridors.
I-10 and the Atchafalaya
Most Louisiana trucking runs on I-10, from Lake Charles through Lafayette and Baton Rouge to New Orleans. Between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, I-10 crosses the Atchafalaya Basin on a bridge about 18 miles long. There's nowhere to pull off, so a breakdown or crash there can stop traffic for hours. Plan fuel and breaks before you start across, and leave time in tight appointments.
I-12 runs north of Lake Pontchartrain as a bypass of New Orleans, and I-49 links Lafayette with Shreveport. I-20 crosses north Louisiana between Texas and Mississippi.
Reloading in Louisiana
- Baton Rouge and New Orleans reload best. The plants and warehouses along the river ship daily.
- Houston is a short run west. Many Louisiana deliveries reload in the Houston area, about 270 miles from Baton Rouge on I-10.
- North Louisiana is slower. Shreveport has freight, but rural deliveries can mean long empty miles.
Louisiana freight by the numbers
| Measure | Louisiana |
|---|---|
| Truck freight starting in the state (2022) | About 272 million tons, 86% delivered in-state |
| Truck freight to other states | About 37 million tons |
| Truck freight from other states | About 35 million tons (more leaves than arrives) |
| Top destination states | Texas, Mississippi and Alabama |
| Top states sending trucks in | Texas, Mississippi and Illinois |
| Diesel tax, IFTA, 4th quarter 2026 | 20 cents a gallon |
| State rule to check first | Plant gate safety orientation and credentials |
Tonnage from the BTS Freight Analysis Framework (FAF6, base year 2022). Diesel tax from the IFTA, Inc. rate matrix.
Trailers that fit Louisiana freight
| Equipment | Where it fits |
|---|---|
| Dry van | Bagged resin and plastic goods from river plants, food and beverages |
| Flatbed | Pipe, steel, lumber and building materials, plus plant equipment |
| Hotshot | Oilfield and plant parts around Lafayette, Lake Charles and the Gulf Coast |
| Reefer | Seafood, food distribution and grocery freight |
We don't book tanker or placarded hazmat freight, which is a big share of Louisiana's chemical traffic. Your dispatcher keeps you on dry freight.
A Baton Rouge flatbed loop through Texas
Pipe, lumber and steel keep a Baton Rouge flatbed moving in a loop through Texas, Shreveport and Mississippi.
| Day | Load | About |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Pipe from a Houston area yard to a Baton Rouge area plant on I-10 | 270 miles |
| Tuesday | Lumber from a central Louisiana mill to Dallas on I-49 and I-20 | 330 miles |
| Wednesday | Building materials from Dallas to Shreveport on I-20 | 190 miles |
| Thursday | Steel from Shreveport to Jackson, Mississippi on I-20 | 220 miles |
| Friday | Jackson back to Baton Rouge on I-55 and I-12 | 170 miles |
An example of how a week can be planned, not a promise of loads, rates or miles. Distances are rounded.
Hurricanes, cane harvest and plant shutdowns
- June to November: Hurricane season. Storms bring evacuations, closed roads and then heavy relief and rebuilding freight.
- Fall: Sugarcane harvest, roughly from fall into winter, fills rural roads with cane trucks.
- Year round: Plant and port freight, slowing during plant shutdowns for maintenance.
Hurricane season shapes Louisiana freight more than any harvest. See the seasonal freight calendar for the national peaks.
Louisiana fuel tax and road costs
- Fuel tax. At 20 cents a gallon on the IFTA matrix for the 4th quarter of 2026, Louisiana diesel tax is among the lowest in the country. The IFTA calculator includes it.
- Plant access. Many plants require safety orientation or credentials at the gate. Ask before you book.
Louisiana reload points
| City or area | Why trucks go there | Reload outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | River plants, plastics and packaged goods | Strong |
| New Orleans | Port and food and beverage distribution | Good |
| Lake Charles | Petrochemical and LNG plants | Fair for dry freight |
| Lafayette | Oilfield service, sugarcane and rice | Good for hotshot and flatbed |
| Shreveport | Forest products and manufacturing on I-20 and I-49 | Fair |
Louisiana checklist: plant gates, the basin bridge and storms
- Ask about plant safety orientation, gear and gate credentials before booking river plant loads.
- Plan fuel and breaks before crossing the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge.
- Confirm the load is dry freight, not tanker or placarded hazmat.
- In hurricane season, watch Gulf forecasts before booking into the coast.
- Plan reloads from Baton Rouge, New Orleans or Houston rather than rural deliveries.
Booking Louisiana freight with us
Much of Louisiana's freight moves in tankers we don't book, so your dispatcher filters for dry van, flatbed and reefer loads from the river plants, the ports and the I-10 corridor. When a delivery lands somewhere rural, the reload comes from Baton Rouge, New Orleans or Houston.
Same terms in every state. We work online and are registered in New York. There's no local office, so your dispatcher works with you by phone, text and email.
- A flat 6% of weekly gross for dry van, reefer, flatbed and power only, and 8% for box truck and hotshot
- No fee on loads picked up in your first 3 days
- No upfront or setup fees and no long-term contract
- Setup within about 24 hours of getting your documents
Here's how our fee works and what you need to get set up.
Freight tonnage on this page comes from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics Freight Analysis Framework (FAF6, base year 2022).
Louisiana loads often finish in Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas.
Louisiana truck dispatch questions
How long is the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge?▾
About 18 miles on I-10 between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, with nowhere to pull off. Plan fuel and breaks before crossing.
Do you book chemical loads in Louisiana?▾
Not tanker or placarded hazmat freight. We book dry freight like bagged resin, plastics, steel, lumber and food.
Where do Louisiana trucks reload?▾
Baton Rouge and New Orleans, or the Houston area about 270 miles west on I-10.
When is sugarcane harvest in Louisiana?▾
Roughly from fall into winter, when cane trucks crowd rural roads in south Louisiana.
Ready to get your truck loaded?
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