Los Angeles to Seattle Freight Lane
1135 miles · Est. 20.6 hours · Avg $2.50/mile
Los Angeles → Seattle at a Glance
Los Angeles ↔ Seattle Corridor Overview
Coast-to-Coast Port Connection
Both endpoints are major import hubs, so this corridor often carries port-driven freight the whole way rather than just at one end, which is less common on a lane this long.
Real Weather Variability
Running the length of California, Oregon, and Washington means covering everything from valley heat to Pacific Northwest rain, and winter mountain passes in northern California and southern Oregon deserve real planning.
Higher Per-Load Revenue
The length of this haul means a higher gross per load than most corridors on the network, which can work well for a driver planning fewer, longer runs each week instead of several short ones.
Los Angeles to Seattle: What to Know
Los Angeles and Seattle sit at opposite ends of the West Coast, and the 1,135-mile run between them is one of the longer regular corridors on the network. Both cities are major port markets, so freight on this lane often connects two different import flows rather than one city simply feeding the other, and the trip typically spans two full driving days once HOS breaks are factored in.
Why This Long-Haul Corridor Works
A run this long only makes sense when there's genuine freight on both ends, and LA to Seattle has that. Los Angeles feeds retail distribution and general import freight north, while Seattle's own port and technology sector distribution economy generates real freight heading south. That two-way demand is what keeps this corridor in regular rotation instead of becoming a one-way deadhead run.
Equipment and Seasonal Patterns
Dry van is the primary equipment on this corridor, carrying the bulk of the import and retail distribution freight moving between the two port markets. Reefer freight shows up too, tied to agricultural product moving out of California's Central Valley region along the way.
Demand holds fairly steady year-round given the port-driven nature of both endpoints, though winter can introduce delays through the mountain sections of the route that are worth building into your planning.
Route and Weather Considerations
This run typically follows I-5 for the majority of the distance, which means covering real elevation changes, particularly through the Siskiyou Mountains near the California-Oregon border and the passes further north into Washington. Winter conditions here are a genuine factor, not a minor inconvenience, and carriers running this corridor regularly build in extra time from late fall through early spring.
Planning a Run This Long
At over 1,100 miles, this corridor typically requires a mandatory rest period mid-route rather than running it in one push. Carriers who run this lane regularly tend to plan around a specific overnight stop, usually somewhere in Oregon, so the schedule stays consistent trip to trip instead of improvising each time.
Run your own numbers with the load profitability calculator before you commit to a rate.
Return Lane: Seattle → Los Angeles
Carriers Running This Corridor
“This is my go-to long run. It pays well per load and I know exactly where I'm stopping for my break every single time, since I've done it enough to have it dialed in.”
“Both ends of this lane are real freight markets, not just one feeding the other. I never worry about getting stuck up in Seattle with nothing to bring back.”