Memphis Truck Dispatch

Memphis sits where I-40 crosses the Mississippi River and meets I-55. It's home to the FedEx World Hub, a busy river port, and, according to Inbound Logistics, five Class I railroads. Put those together and you get one of the biggest distribution markets in the middle of the country.

For an owner-operator, Memphis is a place to deliver and reload with little waiting. Freight leaves for Texas, the Midwest, the Southeast and the East Coast every day. The metro also spills across two state lines, into Mississippi and Arkansas, so a Memphis load might pick up in three different states.

Three states, one market

The Mississippi side matters most for warehouse freight. DeSoto County's distribution centers work as part of the Memphis market. Our Mississippi page covers the rest of that state.

Crossing the river

Two interstate bridges carry trucks across the Mississippi at Memphis: the I-40 Hernando de Soto Bridge and the older I-55 bridge to the south. When one of them has a problem, the whole market feels it. In 2021, the I-40 bridge closed for nearly three months after inspectors found a cracked beam, and truck traffic backed up for miles on I-55. If a load crosses the river, check bridge conditions and traffic before you go.

Lanes out of Memphis

Because Memphis ships in every direction, it's a good place to fix a week that went wrong. If a load leaves you somewhere slow, a short run to Memphis can put you back in a strong market. Our deadhead guide explains when that move makes sense.

Why freight is strong here

• Air freight. FedEx's main hub sorts packages overnight, and the trucks that feed it run around the clock.
• Rail. With five major railroads, containers from both coasts arrive by train and leave by truck.
• River. Barges bring bulk goods up and down the Mississippi to river terminals.
• Location. Memphis is within a day's drive of much of the South and Midwest, which is why retailers put distribution centers here.

Lamar Avenue and the rail yards

Lamar Avenue, which carries US-78 southeast out of Memphis, is one of the busiest truck streets in the region. Rail intermodal yards and warehouses line it, and container trucks move between them all day. Traffic lights, turning trucks and frequent backups make it slow. If a pickup is near Lamar, add time to your plan, and try to avoid it at shift change.

West Memphis and the truck stops

Across the river, West Memphis, Arkansas, is a truck town. Large truck stops sit where I-40 and I-55 meet, and many carriers keep yards there. It's a common place to take a 10-hour break before a Memphis appointment, since parking on the Tennessee side is harder to find. Just remember that the bridge back can slow you down at rush hour.

Peak season pressure

From late summer through December, Memphis distribution centers and the FedEx hub run at full speed. Outbound loads are easy to find, but docks get crowded and waits grow. Keep detention terms in writing, and book appointments early in the day when you can.

Busy weeks also bring more trucks to town, so book early when you can.

Equipment that fits

• Dry van: retail and consumer goods from the distribution centers, the most common load.
• Power only: drop trailer programs at large warehouses in Tennessee and Mississippi.
• Reefer: grocery distribution and food plants.
• Flatbed: steel, lumber and building materials, plus river-port freight.
• Box truck: metro and expedited deliveries.

Memphis through the year

• Late summer to December: Peak season. Distribution centers run hard for the holidays, and outbound freight is at its strongest.
• Spring: Severe storms and the chance of river flooding.
• Summer: Heat and humidity, with afternoon storms.
• Winter: Mostly mild, but ice can close bridges and overpasses.

A DeSoto County van week to Dallas and Atlanta

Here's a week a dispatcher might plan for a dry van based in DeSoto County.

An example of how a week can be planned, not a promise of loads, rates or miles. Distances are rounded.

Memphis checklist: three states and two bridges

• Check which state the pickup is in: Tennessee, Mississippi or Arkansas.
• Check bridge traffic if the load crosses the river.
• Plan for traffic on Lamar Avenue and I-240 near the rail yards and airport.
• Ask whether the load is live or a drop trailer at large distribution centers.
• Get detention terms in writing. Big docks can run behind in peak season.

Booking Memphis freight with us

Your dispatcher searches Memphis area freight on all three sides of the state lines and keeps the next load lined up before you deliver. When the I-40 or I-55 bridge backs up, pickups on your side of the river come first.

Nashville, Knoxville and the I-40 grades are on our Tennessee dispatch page. Across the river, see Arkansas. To check whether a short reload run pays, use the load profit calculator.