467 miles · Est. 6.9 hours · Avg $2.35/mile · Gross $1,098
Lane Overview
467
Miles
$2.35
Avg rate/mile
$1,098
Avg gross rate
moderate
Competition
Memphis to Indianapolis on I-40 east to I-69/I-65 north connects two of the Midwest's most important logistics hubs. FedEx World Hub freight — consumer goods, e-commerce product, food and beverage — flows north toward Indianapolis's crossroads distribution infrastructure. Automotive parts, a staple of Indianapolis's economy, combine with consumer goods to create steady dry-van and reefer demand at $2.25–$2.45/mile.
The I-40/I-65 connection through Nashville is the most direct route — budget for Nashville's I-24/I-40 interchange congestion during afternoon rush. This lane works well Tuesday through Thursday when both Memphis distribution and Indianapolis automotive plants are at peak outbound volume. Return loads Indianapolis to Memphis (slug: indianapolis-to-memphis) bring automotive parts westbound toward Memphis's export hub. No significant tolls on this route, which keeps your net rate cleaner than Northeast equivalent runs.
Driver Tip
Use our Load Profitability Calculator to check if this lane covers your operating costs before accepting a load.
Trip Costs
Fuel Estimate
$173
Based on avg diesel price
Toll Estimate
$10
Varies by route and state
Net After Costs
$915
Before your other costs
What Moves on This Lane
Common Equipment
Similar Routes
Driver's Complete Guide
Memphis and Indianapolis don't sound like natural partners, but once you understand what each city does for a living, the freight flow makes perfect sense. Memphis is where goods arrive — FedEx's World Hub processes more packages per night than most cities ship per week. Indianapolis is where those goods go next, feeding Indiana's manufacturing corridor and the automotive plants that run on precise delivery schedules. This lane is the handoff between them, and it runs with the kind of reliability that makes it worth building into a regular rotation.
FedEx hub freight is the anchor — consumer goods, e-commerce parcels, and food and beverage products that have landed in Memphis and are moving north for Midwest distribution. But Indianapolis's automotive sector adds an important second freight stream. Subaru's Lafayette plant and Toyota's Princeton facility both have parts flowing in from Memphis-area suppliers. That combination means you rarely run empty on either end, and reefer operators have genuine options alongside the standard dry-van market.
The most direct routing takes you east on I-40 from Memphis to Nashville, then north on I-65 through Louisville and into Indianapolis. It's 467 miles and comfortably within a single driving day. Nashville's I-24/I-40 interchange near downtown is where most of your time can disappear — afternoon rush hours between 3pm and 6pm can add 45 minutes to your passage. Get through Nashville before 2pm or plan for a fuel stop and wait it out. The I-65 Louisville weigh station is active, particularly Tuesday through Thursday when northbound freight volume peaks. Indianapolis delivery zones concentrate around the I-465 outerbelt, especially the northwest side near Whitestown where major distribution parks are located.
This lane runs $2.25–$2.45/mile with no meaningful tolls, which makes the net earnings cleaner than comparable-distance Northeast runs. Tuesday and Wednesday are the high-demand days — FedEx hub dispatches cycle on a weekly rhythm and mid-week loads hit the boards with the most volume. Don't settle for the low end of the range on a Wednesday pickup; there's enough demand to negotiate toward $2.40. Carriers who run this lane regularly report that direct shipper relationships with Memphis distribution centers beat the spot board by $0.10–$0.15/mile.
Indianapolis sends automotive parts back toward Memphis's export infrastructure. The plants in Lafayette and Princeton run production schedules that generate steady westbound freight, so return loads are real and available. Rates back run slightly softer at $2.20–$2.35/mile, but the absence of tolls keeps the economics honest.
What's the best way to avoid the Nashville bottleneck on this run?
Either push through Nashville before 1pm or plan a 30-minute fuel stop south of the city at the Brentwood or Antioch exits and wait for traffic to clear. Trying to force through during afternoon rush adds time without any payoff.
Is the Louisville I-65 scale always open?
It runs during business hours most weekdays, typically 7am–7pm. The northbound scale near Scottsburg, IN is less aggressive but still active. Have your paperwork current and your axle weights confirmed before you get there.
How does this lane compare to Memphis-to-Chicago for daily earnings?
Chicago pays more per mile but adds the I-55 congestion tax and Illinois tolls. Indianapolis is shorter, cleaner on tolls, and more predictable. If you're running a 7-day week, Indianapolis stacks mileage faster because you can turn it in a single shift.
Dispatch Service
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