Shippers sending freight into and out of Indianapolis rely on Convoy to find experienced and reliable carriers and competitive rates. With Convoy, get instant access to freight shipping quotes in the Indianapolis area.
Indianapolis, Indiana Freight Shipping Quotes
Freight Shipping in Indianapolis
Of all the U.S. states in 2017, Indiana ranked 11th for its value of shipments for inbound freight ($300,537 million), 13th for domestic freight ($151,847 million), and 10th for outbound freight ($301,824 million). Indiana also had the fourth most outbound flatbed loads of any state in 2020 (881,842 loads), as well as the seventh most outbound van loads (655,612 loads).
Indianapolis stands out in Indiana — and even in the entire Midwest — as a significant distribution and transportation hub.
Indianapolis’s location plays a big role here. Of the 100 largest cities in the U.S., Indianapolis is the most centrally located. It sits within 650 miles of over 50 million households, or 55% of all Americans.
Also key is Indianapolis’s transportation infrastructure. Indianapolis is home to:
- An international airport
- A foreign trade zone
- Six railroads
- 26 operating rail corridors
- Five freight facilities
- Three ports within a three-hour drive
- Four interstate highways
Another benefit for shippers looking to schedule deliveries into or out of Indianapolis: At just 25.4 minutes, the city has shorter than average travel times.
Major Industries and Commercial Activity in Indianapolis
Located near both the corn belt and industrial hubs in the East and Midwest, Indianapolis has a diverse economic base. Manufacturing has been replaced as the predominant industry by services and retail in recent decades. Tourism also plays a big role in Indianapolis, which is known for its sporting events, as well as insurance and meatpacking.
Fortune 500 companies in Indianapolis include Eli Lilly and Company, Simon Property Group, and Anthem, and some of the major employers in the area are Roche Diagnostics, Dow AgroSciences, and Clarian Health.
A wide variety of goods is produced in Indianapolis, including:
- Food and allied products
- Paper and allied products
- Furniture and woodworking
- Printing and publishing
- Petroleum and allied products
- Chemicals
- Plastic and rubber products
- Fabricated metal products
- Primary metals
- Machinery
- Transportation equipment
- Electronics and electrical equipment
- Instruments
- Knitted garments
- Optical and medical goods
- Bricks
Indiana is also a leading producer of corn and soybeans in the U.S. Additional crops grown in Indiana include wheat, hay, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, onions, snap beans, apples, watermelons, and blueberries.
Indiana’s top interstate trading partners are Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas.
How Weather Impacts Freight Shipping in Indianapolis
Weather has the potential to affect freight shipping in any area, but especially in Indiana, which saw 23 extreme weather events between 2006 and 2017 (15 severe storms, four droughts, three floods, and one hurricane).
While Indianapolis has only experienced three weather-related disasters since 2010 (one drought, one snow and ice storm, and one severe storm), severe weather is not uncommon in the spring and summer, and the city averages about 20 thunderstorms a year. All in all, it’s best to plan ahead when scheduling shipments in Indianapolis and prepare for the unexpected.
Freight Carriers in Indianapolis
The most common job in Indiana is truck driving, so finding a carrier typically isn’t a problem. And if you need help sorting through your many options, Convoy is a great resource — our digital freight network includes over 25,000 trucks in the Indianapolis area serving almost 500 facilities, making it easy for us to match you with a safe, experienced carrier and a competitive freight shipping rate.