Seattle to Portland freight shipping

The road between the two cities

The run follows I-5 south from Seattle through Tacoma, past Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the Nisqually River delta, then on through Olympia, Centralia, Chehalis and Kelso, with Longview just west across the Cowlitz River, to Vancouver, Washington. Traffic around Tacoma and the base can be the slowest stretch of the trip, so a load that leaves at a bad hour may lose a good part of its schedule before it even reaches Olympia.

At the state line the freight crosses the Columbia River on either the I-5 Interstate Bridge or the I-205 Glenn Jackson Bridge. The Interstate Bridge is a lift bridge, so an opening for river traffic can hold up cars and trucks for a while, and both crossings back up at rush hour. I-205 is the natural way to the Portland airport area and the Columbia Corridor, while I-5 leads to Swan Island and Rivergate in North Portland.

What moves between Seattle and Portland

The two metros trade a bit of everything, and freight runs both ways. A Portland to Seattle load is quoted the same way as a southbound one, so tell us if you have freight in both directions.

• Store replenishment and consumer goods between distribution centers in the two metros.
• Food and beverages, dry or refrigerated, for grocers and food service.
• Import cargo that landed in Seattle or Tacoma and is bound for customers in Oregon.
• Building materials and equipment for projects on either side of the Columbia.

Full truckload, LTL or partial on this lane

Because the distance is short, the choice of service matters more than on a long haul. A full truckload often picks up in the morning and delivers the same day when both appointments allow it, though that depends on the carrier and the receiver, never on a promise from us. LTL goes through terminals and usually takes longer for the same miles, and a partial load sits in between: one truck, shared space, no terminal transfer.

• Full truckload

  A trailer for your freight alone, from a Seattle dock to a Portland dock.

• LTL and partial

  A few pallets sharing a truck down I-5.

• Refrigerated freight

  Food and other loads that must stay cold for the whole run.

Compare all the services we arrange

When the freight is ready before Portland is

Many Portland receivers work by appointment, and the slot they offer does not always match the day the freight is ready in Seattle. Instead of paying a truck to sit, the pallets can wait a few days in an independent partner warehouse near the pickup, which we look for in the Kent Valley or near the ports, and then head south when the appointment opens. Northbound freight from Oregon that has to wait before a Puget Sound delivery can be handled the same way.

Warehousing we line up · Pallet staging · Warehouse partner program

Seattle to Portland freight questions