Missouri's diesel tax of 19.0¢ per gallon is the second-lowest in the US. Truckers running I-70 east should fill up completely in Missouri before crossing into Illinois (59.6¢) — saving $61 per fill.
Missouri's diesel tax rate of 19.0 cents per gallon is tied for second-lowest in the US alongside Oklahoma. For interstate carriers, Missouri's position at the crossroads of I-70 and I-44 makes it one of the single most valuable fueling states in the country — especially for east-west runs heading into Illinois (59.6¢).
The math is hard to argue with: fueling your 150-gallon tank in St. Louis instead of Illinois saves $61 in IFTA tax liability (150 × $0.406 difference). Truckers running Chicago-to-Kansas City or Chicago-to-Dallas via I-44 should plan a full fill-up on the Missouri side every time. The difference compounds significantly across a fleet.
I-70 (East-West Spine): Kansas City east through Columbia, St. Louis to Illinois border. One of the busiest cross-country freight corridors in the US — tank up in St. Louis before entering IL.
I-44 (Southwest Corridor): Oklahoma/Texas border northwest through Joplin, Springfield, St. Louis. Major freight route connecting the Southwest to the Midwest.
I-55 (North-South): Illinois border south through St. Louis toward Memphis. Critical connector between Chicago and Southeast freight markets.
I-29 (North-South, Western MO): Kansas City north toward Iowa border. Agricultural and livestock freight corridor.