Seattle to Los Angeles freight
Lifetime Logistics Services LLC moves Seattle to Los Angeles freight down Interstate 5, a run of about 1,125 miles that takes two days in transit. We run our own 53 foot dry vans and book flatbed, power only and box truck capacity through vetted partner carriers on the same road. Tell us your pickup, delivery and weight in the quote form and we will price the load.
From our dispatch records
- Distance
- About 1,125 miles
- Typical transit
- Two days
- How often we run it
- Booked as needed
- Trailer types
- Dry van, flatbed, power only
- Who hauls it
- Partner carriers we vet, dispatched by our own desk
The route
- Road miles
- Driving time
- Transit, one driver
- Main highways
- Interstate 5
| Trailer | Typical transit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dry van or power only | Two days | Dock to dock; a drop trailer saves the waiting time at either end. |
| Flatbed | Two days | Allow time to tarp and secure; oversize pieces travel in daylight only, which can add a day. |
| Box truck or cargo van | Two days | For a short shipment that should not wait for a full trailer. |
Freight from the Seattle and Tacoma waterfront and yards to Los Angeles
Pickups at the north end of this lane cluster around two port authorities, the Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma, and a set of rail terminals that includes BNSF Seattle International Gateway, UP Argo in Seattle and the BNSF and UP intermodal yards in Tacoma. A shipper with goods coming off any of those facilities who needs them in Los Angeles by road has a single interstate between them, and that simplicity is the reason a truckload makes sense here.
At the Los Angeles end the freight usually lands near the Port of Los Angeles, at a warehouse in the basin, or close to BNSF Hobart in Commerce or UP East Los Angeles. When you send a request, tell us which of those addresses or facilities is involved at each end, because a terminal pickup with appointment windows plans differently from a dock pickup at a plant in Seattle or Tacoma.
The Interstate 5 run from Seattle south to Los Angeles
The route is Interstate 5 from top to bottom, about 1,125 miles and roughly 21.5 hours of drive time. That much wheel time is more than one driver can legally put down in a single shift, which is why we plan this freight as a two day transit rather than an overnight. The truck leaves Seattle or Tacoma, works south for the full first day, and crosses into California over Siskiyou Summit.
From the state line the driver stays on Interstate 5 the length of California, down the long middle of the state and finally over Tejon Pass, the Grapevine, which drops the truck into the Los Angeles basin. Both ends of the trip sit on Pacific time, so the pickup clock in Tacoma and the delivery clock in Los Angeles read the same, and appointment times need no conversion.
Siskiyou Summit, the Grapevine and the winter months
Two mountain crossings decide how this lane behaves in winter. Siskiyou Summit, at about 4,300 feet, is the highest point anywhere on Interstate 5, and winter storms bring chain controls and closures there. Tejon Pass, about 4,100 feet, closes for snow and ice in most winters, and the long grades on both sides of it test brakes on the way down and engines on the way up.
Outside the storm season these two summits are mostly a matter of grade and pace. From late fall into early spring we check conditions on both before a truck leaves Seattle or Tacoma, and when a closure holds a driver at the bottom of a pass we call you with the new arrival estimate rather than letting the delivery appointment slip by without notice.
The California line, the Hornbrook station and weight
Southbound trucks on this lane enter California on Interstate 5 at Hornbrook, where the state runs an agricultural inspection station that checks trucks crossing the line. A driver hauling plants, produce or anything that grows should expect questions there, so put an accurate commodity description on the bill of lading before the load leaves Washington.
Gross weight is capped at 80,000 pounds on the interstates in every state along this route. In practice a 53 foot dry van carries about 44,000 to 45,000 pounds of freight once the tractor and trailer are counted, so a heavier load needs to be split or moved to a different setup. Give us your real shipping weight up front and we will tell you whether it fits one truck.
Trailer choices for Seattle and Tacoma to Los Angeles
Our own equipment is 53 foot dry vans, the right fit for palletized, boxed or floor loaded freight that needs to stay dry and sealed over 1,125 miles. For loads that will not go in a van, such as steel, lumber or machinery that loads from the side or top, we book flatbed capacity through vetted partner carriers working Interstate 5.
Power only suits a shipper in Seattle or Tacoma who already has a loaded trailer and simply needs a tractor to pull it to Los Angeles. Box trucks cover smaller loads and deliveries where a full tractor trailer cannot get into the receiving dock. Tell us the freight, the piece count and the dock situation at each end, and we will match the trailer and quote it.
How our Covina desk books and runs this lane
We cover Seattle to Los Angeles freight with the 53 foot dry vans we run ourselves and with partner carriers already running trucks on Interstate 5, all dispatched from our desk in Covina, a short drive from the Los Angeles delivery end. Lifetime Logistics Services LLC holds USDOT 3711199 and MC 1302550, so we can haul a van load directly or broker the truck when another trailer type fits better.
Booking starts with the quote form: pickup in Seattle or Tacoma, delivery in Los Angeles, dates, weight and trailer type. Once you accept, I stay on the load myself, from the pickup confirmation through the Siskiyou and Grapevine crossings to the signed delivery receipt, and you hear from us whenever weather or a dock delay changes the timing.
Questions shippers ask
- How much does a truckload from Seattle and Tacoma to Los Angeles cost?
- The price depends on the trailer you need, the weight, the pickup and delivery facilities and your dates, and winter conditions on Siskiyou Summit and the Grapevine can also affect planning. Send us those details through the quote form and we will come back with a price for your specific load on this 1,125 mile Interstate 5 run.
- How long does Seattle and Tacoma to Los Angeles freight take?
- Plan on two days in transit. The run is about 1,125 miles on Interstate 5 with roughly 21.5 hours of drive time, which is more than a single driver shift allows. Both ends are on Pacific time, so appointment times line up. Winter closures on Siskiyou Summit or Tejon Pass can add time, and we call you if they do.
- Which trailer types run from Seattle and Tacoma to Los Angeles?
- We run our own 53 foot dry vans on this lane and arrange flatbed, power only and box truck loads through vetted partner carriers. A dry van carries about 44,000 to 45,000 pounds of freight under the 80,000 pound gross limit. Tell us the freight, weight and dock setup in the quote form and we will name the trailer that fits.
- Do you carry freight from Seattle and Tacoma to Los Angeles if you have not run it before?
- Yes. We cover this lane with our own 53 foot dry vans and with partner carriers already running trucks on Interstate 5, dispatched from our Covina desk near the Los Angeles end. Whether your pickup is a plant, a port terminal in Seattle or Tacoma, or a rail yard, give us the details and we will plan the truck around them.
- Does weather on Tejon Pass (the Grapevine) delay Seattle and Tacoma to Los Angeles freight?
- It can. Tejon Pass sits at about 4,100 feet and snow and ice close it in most winters, with long grades on both sides. Siskiyou Summit farther north, the highest point on Interstate 5, also sees chain controls and closures. We watch both before dispatch and call you with a revised arrival time if a closure holds the truck.
Ready to price a load?
Send the quote form or call us. Quotes within 15 minutes, Monday to Friday 6 AM to 6 PM Pacific; operations team available 24/7 for active loads.