Seattle, WA

Freight hub guide — rates, shippers, parking, and opportunities for owner-operators in Seattle.

Part of Washington trucking network →

#19

Freight Rank

737,015

Population

Poor

Truck Parking

West Coast

Region

Average Rates Per Mile

Equipment Type	Rate / Mile
Dry Van	$2.45
Reefer	$2.85
Flatbed	$3.15

Rates by Equipment Type

Key Highways

I-5I-90I-405SR-99SR-167SR-18

Top Industries

E-commerce (Amazon)

Aerospace (Boeing)

Technology

Coffee & food

Retail

Major Distribution Centers

Amazon HQ & BFI4 (Kent)

Boeing Everett Factory

Costco Corporate HQ & DC (Issaquah)

Starbucks Roasting Plant (Kent)

REI Distribution Center (Sumner)

Nordstrom DC (Cedar Rapids — regional feeder)

Top Shippers

Amazon

Boeing

Costco

Starbucks

Microsoft

Nearby Ports

Port of SeattlePort of Tacoma (Northwest Seaport Alliance)

Truck Stops

Pilot Travel Center (Fife)

Love's Travel Stop (Pacific)

TA Petro (North Bend)

Flying J (Fife)

Silver Lake Truck Stop (Everett)

Challenges

I-5 through Seattle-Tacoma is consistently ranked among the worst congestion in the US
Mountain passes (Snoqualmie I-90, Stevens US-2) close during winter storms
Washington state requires chain carry from November through March on mountain routes
Limited truck parking in the Puget Sound area

Opportunities

Amazon HQ proximity means constant e-commerce fulfillment freight
Northwest Seaport Alliance (Seattle-Tacoma) handles major Asian imports
Boeing 777X and 787 production creates specialized aerospace freight
Pacific Northwest agriculture (apples, cherries, hops) generates seasonal reefer loads

Seasonal Freight Patterns

Apple harvest (August-November) creates massive reefer outbound from Yakima/Wenatchee. Holiday e-commerce from Amazon peaks October-December. Boeing production is steady year-round. Cherry season (June-July) is short but intense. Winter weather closes mountain passes periodically.

Trucking in Seattle — FAQ

Average rates per mile out of Seattle: Dry Van $2.45, Reefer $2.85, Flatbed $3.15. Rates vary by season, lane, and current market conditions.

Truck parking in Seattle is rated "poor." Popular stops include Pilot Travel Center (Fife), Love's Travel Stop (Pacific), TA Petro (North Bend). Plan ahead and arrive early — spots fill up fast, especially overnight.

Top shippers operating in the Seattle freight market include Amazon, Boeing, Costco, Starbucks, Microsoft. Key industries driving freight demand are e-commerce (amazon), aerospace (boeing), technology.

The biggest challenges for truckers in Seattle include: I-5 through Seattle-Tacoma is consistently ranked among the worst congestion in the US; Mountain passes (Snoqualmie I-90, Stevens US-2) close during winter storms; Washington state requires chain carry from November through March on mountain routes. However, opportunities include amazon hq proximity means constant e-commerce fulfillment freight.

Nearby Freight Hubs

Portland, OR

#25 freight hub

Oakland, CA

#24 freight hub

Reno, NV

#30 freight hub

Other Cities in Washington

Spokane, WA

West Coast market

Tacoma, WA

West Coast market

Vancouver, WA

West Coast market

Bellevue, WA

West Coast market

Kent, WA

West Coast market

View all trucking info for Washington →

Running freight in Seattle? Get dispatched.

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Equipment Type

Rate / Mile

Dry Van

$2.45

Reefer

$2.85

Flatbed

$3.15

Trucking in Seattle — FAQ

Average rates per mile out of Seattle: Dry Van $2.45, Reefer $2.85, Flatbed $3.15. Rates vary by season, lane, and current market conditions.