Tacoma, WA → Los Angeles, CA
Route Details
I-5 Pacific Corridor
I-5 · 1,381 total miles · north south
Washington Trucking
Washington state is the Pacific Northwest freight leader with Seattle-Tacoma serving as a major international trade gate...
California Trucking
California is the gateway for international trade and domestic distribution. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach han...
I-5
1,150 miles from Tacoma, WA to Los Angeles, CA
Freight on This Lane
The dominant freight categories moving between Tacoma, WA and Los Angeles, CA
Retail & Consumer Goods
Retail freight is the backbone of dry van trucking, representing $190+ billion in annual US transportation spend across 12 million truckloads per year...
Electronics & Technology
Electronics freight moves $95+ billion in consumer electronics, components, data center hardware, and semiconductor products across 2.8 million US tru...
Manufacturing & Industrial
Manufacturing freight moves $165 billion in raw materials, components, and finished goods between 320,000+ US factories each year, generating 9.5 mill...
Lumber & Building Products
Lumber and building product freight moves 45 billion board feet of lumber and $180 billion in building materials annually, generating 3.8 million flat...
Rate Breakdown
Seasonal Patterns
Port of Tacoma container freight generates consistent year-round volumes, but the September-December holiday import surge pushes rates up 15-22%. Lumber loads from Washington mills peak April through September at $3.10-$3.20/mile on flatbed. January and February are the softest months — rates drop 8-12% as post-holiday freight normalizes and Pacific Northwest weather slows mill production.
Backhaul Guide
Return load strategy for the Los Angeles, CA to Tacoma, WA direction
Los Angeles to Tacoma northbound loads are plentiful — LA is the country's largest outbound freight market. Expect $2.30-$2.70/mile on dry van northbound. For better rates, target produce loads from the Central Valley (Fresno, Bakersfield) heading to Seattle-area distribution centers at $2.70-$3.00/mile reefer. Pre-book northbound before delivering south.
Compatible Truck Types
Equipment types that run profitably on this lane
This 1,150-mile lane is a 2-day run — plan your HOS split carefully. The optimal overnight stop is Redding, CA (680 miles from Tacoma) or Grants Pass, OR (380 miles). The Grapevine (I-5 Tejon Pass) closes for snow 5-10 times per winter — have a backup plan via CA-58 through Tehachapi or CA-138/CA-14. Also, the Port of Tacoma loads faster than the Port of LA: average gate-in-to-gate-out is 1.5 hours vs 3-4 hours in LA/Long Beach.
Tacoma, WA to Los Angeles, CA FAQ
Common questions about this freight lane
What freight moves from Tacoma to Los Angeles?+
How does this lane compare to Seattle to Los Angeles?+
What are the toll costs from Tacoma to Los Angeles?+
Get Dispatched on the Tacoma, WA to Los Angeles, CA Lane
Our dispatchers know this lane inside and out. 6% commission, no contracts, and we pre-book your backhaul before you depart.
Book a Free Strategy Call