Shipping Routes in the United States: Overland and Air Freight Corridors
Understanding U.S. Overland and Air Shipping Routes
The United States freight transportation network operates as an interconnected system of overland and air shipping routes, moving goods across continental distances through coordinated trucking, rail, intermodal, and air cargo operations.
Overland Shipping Routes
Overland shipping routes in the United States encompass the primary ground-based freight corridors: interstate trucking highways, Class I railroad networks, and intermodal transfer facilities that connect these systems.
- Interstate highway freight corridors spanning east-west and north-south axes
- Rail freight networks operated by seven Class I carriers
- Intermodal terminals enabling rail-to-truck transfer
Air Cargo Routes
Air cargo routes form the time-critical layer of domestic shipping infrastructure, connecting major cargo hub airports through scheduled and charter freight services for high-value and expedited shipments.
- Domestic air freight lanes between primary cargo hubs
- Regional feeder routes connecting secondary airports
- Integration with ground transportation for last-mile delivery
Major U.S. Overland Freight Corridors
The domestic overland shipping network comprises interstate trucking routes, Class I railroad corridors, and intermodal facilities that enable freight movement across continental distances.
Interstate Trucking Routes
| Route | Corridor Name | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| I-95 | Eastern Seaboard | 1,920 |
| I-10 | Southern Cross-Country | 2,460 |
| I-40 | Central Cross-Country | 2,555 |
| I-80 | Northern Cross-Country | 2,900 |
| I-35 | NAFTA Highway | 1,568 |
| I-5 | Pacific Coast | 1,381 |
Interstate freight routes form the backbone of U.S. trucking operations, with the National Highway System designating over 160,000 miles of primary arterials for commercial vehicle traffic. These corridors connect major metropolitan areas, manufacturing centers, distribution hubs, and international border crossings.
Rail Freight Corridors
Sunset Corridor
East-WestSouthern transcontinental route connecting Pacific ports to Gulf region
Overland Route
East-WestHistoric transcontinental route through Salt Lake City and the Midwest
Transcon
East-WestHigh-capacity intermodal corridor across the southern route
Northern Corridor
East-WestPacific Northwest connection to Midwest distribution centers
CSX Eastern Network
North-South & East-WestEnterprise rail network serving eastern manufacturing and ports
NS Crescent Corridor
North-SouthIntermodal freight corridor serving southeastern markets
Seven Class I railroads operate the primary U.S. rail freight network, moving approximately 40% of intercity freight ton-miles. Rail shipping routes are particularly significant for bulk commodities, intermodal containers, and long-haul movements exceeding 500 miles where rail economics advantage trucking.
Intermodal Hubs and Transfer Facilities
Chicago, IL
Largest U.S. rail hub, connecting six Class I railroads
Kansas City, MO
Geographic center for transcontinental freight transfer
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
Major intermodal facility for NAFTA corridor traffic
Los Angeles Basin, CA
Intermodal connection for Pacific Rim import traffic
Memphis, TN
Central distribution location with rail and air integration
Atlanta, GA
Primary distribution hub for southeastern United States
Intermodal shipping routes connect rail and trucking networks at specialized transfer facilities. These hubs enable containerized freight to move seamlessly between transportation modes, optimizing cost and transit time for domestic supply chain corridors. Inland ports and logistics parks increasingly serve as consolidated transfer points for regional distribution.
U.S. Air Cargo Routes and Hubs
Domestic air cargo routes provide time-definite freight service for high-value, time-sensitive, and expedited shipments. The network operates through major cargo hub airports with connections to regional feeder routes and ground distribution networks.
Major U.S. Cargo Airports
Memphis International
Ted Stevens Anchorage
Louisville Muhammad Ali
Miami International
Los Angeles International
Chicago O'Hare
Cincinnati/N. Kentucky
Indianapolis International
Airport cargo hubs serve as the central nodes of domestic air freight networks. Integrated express carriers operate dedicated hub facilities at Memphis (FedEx), Louisville (UPS), and Cincinnati (DHL), while combination carriers utilize belly cargo capacity at major passenger hub airports.
Domestic Air Freight Corridors
| Corridor | Endpoints |
|---|---|
| Transcontinental Express | LAX ↔ JFK/EWR |
| Pacific-Midwest | LAX/SFO ↔ ORD |
| East Coast Shuttle | BOS ↔ ATL ↔ MIA |
| Texas Triangle | DFW ↔ IAH ↔ AUS/SAT |
| Hub Spoke Networks | MEM/SDF ↔ National |
| Alaska Bridge | ANC ↔ Lower 48 Gateways |
U.S. Shipping Carriers by Mode
Domestic shipping routes are operated by a diverse ecosystem of carriers specializing in trucking, rail, and air cargo transportation. The following represents major operators across each mode, documented for reference purposes.
Trucking Carriers
National Less-Than-Truckload (LTL)
Major Truckload Carriers
The U.S. trucking industry operates through a combination of large national carriers, regional specialists, and independent owner-operators. Carrier selection for specific freight corridors depends on lane density, service requirements, and commodity characteristics.
Class I Railroad Operators
Union Pacific Railroad
Largest U.S. railroad by route miles, serves 23 western states
BNSF Railway
Largest rail freight carrier by revenue, Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary
CSX Transportation
Primary eastern railroad serving Atlantic ports and Midwest
Norfolk Southern
Serves 22 eastern states with intermodal and merchandise focus
Canadian National (U.S. operations)
North-south network connecting Gulf ports to Canadian gateways
Canadian Pacific Kansas City
First single-line Mexico-Canada rail network
Kansas City Southern
Now part of CPKC, historic NAFTA corridor operator
Air Cargo Carriers
Integrated Express Carriers
Largest U.S. cargo airline, hub at Memphis
Second largest, hub at Louisville
Americas hub at Cincinnati
All-Cargo Airlines
Outsourced freighter operations, ACMI provider
Trans-Pacific focus, Atlas Air subsidiary
Charter and scheduled freight operations
Amazon Air operations, hub at Cincinnati
Passenger Airline Cargo Divisions
Domestic and international belly freight
Extensive domestic hub network
Strong Atlanta and domestic connections
Point-to-point domestic network
Air cargo capacity is provided through dedicated freighter aircraft operated by integrated express carriers and all-cargo airlines, supplemented by belly cargo space on passenger aircraft. Route coverage varies by carrier network structure and hub locations.
Data and Intelligence Layer
The shipping routes database structures freight infrastructure information across multiple dimensions, enabling systematic analysis of U.S. overland and air transportation corridors.
Route Geometry & Corridor Definitions
Geographic representation of freight corridor infrastructure across overland and air transportation modes.
- Interstate highway corridor geometries
- Class I railroad mainline alignments
- Intermodal facility locations and connections
- Air cargo route pairings between hub airports
- Regional boundary definitions for freight analysis
Carrier Participation by Route Type
Documentation of which carriers operate across specific route types and freight corridors.
- Trucking carrier corridor coverage areas
- Railroad operator route ownership
- Intermodal service provider networks
- Air cargo carrier domestic lane coverage
- Regional vs. national carrier designations
Hub-and-Spoke vs. Corridor Models
Structural analysis of how freight moves through hub-based networks versus direct corridor routing.
- Air cargo hub airport designations
- LTL terminal network structures
- Rail classification yard hierarchies
- Intermodal hub-to-hub corridors
- Point-to-point vs. network routing patterns
Historical & Structural Routing Data
Longitudinal perspective on how U.S. shipping routes have developed and adapted over time.
- Corridor development timelines
- Infrastructure capacity constraints
- Seasonal routing pattern variations
- Network evolution documentation
- Modal shift trends in freight corridors
Informational Use Cases
The U.S. shipping routes database serves as a reference resource for understanding domestic freight infrastructure. The following applications represent informational and analytical use of route data.
Freight Network Analysis
Systematic examination of freight corridor characteristics, carrier coverage areas, and network connectivity patterns across U.S. shipping routes.
- Corridor capacity assessment
- Network density mapping
- Modal split analysis
- Carrier market structure review
Supply Chain Research
Reference data supporting academic and industry research into domestic supply chain structures, logistics patterns, and transportation economics.
- Origin-destination flow studies
- Logistics cost modeling
- Inventory positioning research
- Distribution network design
Infrastructure Planning
Baseline documentation of existing freight corridors to inform public and private infrastructure investment decisions and expansion planning.
- Corridor improvement prioritization
- Intermodal facility siting
- Capacity expansion assessment
- Bottleneck identification
Policy and Academic Reference
Reference material for transportation policy analysis, regulatory research, and academic study of freight transportation systems.
- Transportation policy development
- Regulatory impact assessment
- Academic research citation
- Industry benchmarking studies
Mission and Methodology
ShippingRoutes.com documents the structural characteristics of United States overland and air freight transportation corridors. The database serves as a canonical reference for shipping routes spanning trucking highways, rail networks, intermodal facilities, and air cargo lanes.
This resource is designed to structure and preserve knowledge of domestic freight infrastructure, enabling research, analysis, and informed understanding of how goods move across the continental United States. The database emphasizes route geometry, carrier coverage, hub connectivity, and corridor relationships across transportation modes.
Accuracy
Route data reflects verified infrastructure characteristics and documented carrier service areas.
Coverage
Enterprise documentation across trucking, rail, intermodal, and air cargo modes nationwide.
Neutrality
Objective presentation without commercial bias, promotional content, or carrier preferences.
Structure
Systematic organization enabling efficient retrieval and analytical application of route information.
Data Sources and Methodology
Route information is compiled from publicly available sources including federal transportation agency publications, carrier network documentation, industry association reports, and infrastructure databases. Information is organized to reflect the structural nature of freight corridors rather than real-time operational status.
This database is maintained as foundational infrastructure for future logistics intelligence products. Current presentation focuses on informational reference value, with extensibility designed for analytical capabilities in subsequent development phases.