Lane benchmarks
What major freight lanes typically pay per mile
Approximate loaded rate-per-mile ranges for common corridors, to sanity-check your own numbers. Run a load through the free calculator to see where your rate lands.
| Lane | Equipment | Loaded RPM | Typ. deadhead | Note | Try in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX → Houston, TX | Dry van | $2.75–$3.55 | 8% | Steady intra-Texas lane; short haul keeps per-mile firm. | Try this lane → |
| Houston, TX → Dallas, TX | Flatbed | $2.75–$3.55 | 9% | Industrial flatbed; tarp/securement pay matters. | Try this lane → |
| Laredo, TX → Houston, TX | Reefer | $2.40–$3.09 | 10% | Cross-border produce; detention risk near the border. | Try this lane → |
| Dallas, TX → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.12–$2.69 | 10% | Long southeast haul; volume-dependent. | Try this lane → |
| Houston, TX → Los Angeles, CA | Dry van | $1.95–$2.52 | 12% | Long westbound; softer backhaul market. | Try this lane → |
| Dallas, TX → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.18–$2.75 | 10% | Northbound to the Midwest; seasonal swings. | Try this lane → |
| El Paso, TX → Phoenix, AZ | Dry van | $2.23–$2.86 | 11% | Southwest corridor; border-driven volume. | Try this lane → |
| Los Angeles, CA → Phoenix, AZ | Dry van | $2.63–$3.32 | 10% | Heavy outbound from the LA basin; softens midweek. | Try this lane → |
| Los Angeles, CA → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $2.00–$2.58 | 10% | Eastbound out of SoCal; rate depends on season. | Try this lane → |
| Los Angeles, CA → Seattle, WA | Reefer | $2.52–$3.21 | 10% | West coast produce; reefer premium. | Try this lane → |
| Ontario, CA → Las Vegas, NV | Dry van | $2.75–$3.43 | 9% | Short desert haul; firm short-haul pricing. | Try this lane → |
| Fresno, CA → Los Angeles, CA | Reefer | $2.86–$3.66 | 8% | Central Valley produce into LA; seasonal peaks. | Try this lane → |
| Phoenix, AZ → Los Angeles, CA | Dry van | $2.29–$2.98 | 11% | Return leg into the basin; backhaul softness. | Try this lane → |
| Phoenix, AZ → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $2.12–$2.69 | 10% | Southwest-to-Texas; steady. | Try this lane → |
| Atlanta, GA → Miami, FL | Reefer | $2.52–$3.21 | 12% | Produce-driven; firmer in winter season. | Try this lane → |
| Atlanta, GA → Charlotte, NC | Dry van | $2.63–$3.32 | 9% | Short southeast lane; dense freight. | Try this lane → |
| Atlanta, GA → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $2.06–$2.63 | 10% | Westbound long haul; backhaul-dependent. | Try this lane → |
| Miami, FL → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.06–$2.63 | 13% | Florida outbound is notoriously soft. | Try this lane → |
| Jacksonville, FL → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.18–$2.75 | 12% | Northbound out of Florida; backhaul market. | Try this lane → |
| Charlotte, NC → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.52–$3.21 | 9% | Dense southeast corridor. | Try this lane → |
| Charlotte, NC → Newark, NJ | Dry van | $2.40–$3.09 | 10% | Carolinas to the Northeast; tolls factor. | Try this lane → |
| Nashville, TN → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.40–$3.09 | 9% | Short southeast haul; steady. | Try this lane → |
| Memphis, TN → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $2.18–$2.75 | 8% | Distribution-hub origin; steady volume. | Try this lane → |
| Memphis, TN → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.23–$2.86 | 9% | Midsouth to Midwest; reliable. | Try this lane → |
| Birmingham, AL → Nashville, TN | Flatbed | $2.86–$3.66 | 8% | Building-materials flatbed; price the tarp work. | Try this lane → |
| Chicago, IL → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.18–$2.75 | 10% | Long midwest-to-southeast haul; volume-dependent. | Try this lane → |
| Chicago, IL → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $2.12–$2.63 | 10% | Backhaul market softens northbound returns. | Try this lane → |
| Chicago, IL → Columbus, OH | Dry van | $2.52–$3.21 | 8% | Dense Midwest lane; short haul. | Try this lane → |
| Chicago, IL → Kansas City, MO | Dry van | $2.29–$2.98 | 9% | Midwest staple; steady. | Try this lane → |
| Columbus, OH → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.40–$3.09 | 9% | Return leg; dense corridor. | Try this lane → |
| Columbus, OH → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.23–$2.86 | 10% | Ohio to southeast; reliable volume. | Try this lane → |
| Indianapolis, IN → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.52–$3.32 | 8% | Short Midwest haul; firm. | Try this lane → |
| Detroit, MI → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.40–$3.09 | 9% | Auto-belt corridor. | Try this lane → |
| Kansas City, MO → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $2.18–$2.81 | 10% | Plains-to-Texas; steady. | Try this lane → |
| St. Louis, MO → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.40–$3.09 | 9% | Short Midwest lane. | Try this lane → |
| Minneapolis, MN → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.29–$2.98 | 10% | Upper Midwest; winter seasonality. | Try this lane → |
| Newark, NJ → Boston, MA | Dry van | $3.09–$4.01 | 8% | Dense Northeast corridor; tolls factor in. | Try this lane → |
| Newark, NJ → Charlotte, NC | Dry van | $2.18–$2.86 | 11% | Southbound out of the Northeast. | Try this lane → |
| Philadelphia, PA → Boston, MA | Dry van | $2.98–$3.89 | 8% | Short Northeast haul; tolls. | Try this lane → |
| Harrisburg, PA → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.23–$2.86 | 10% | Mid-Atlantic to Midwest. | Try this lane → |
| Boston, MA → Newark, NJ | Dry van | $2.63–$3.43 | 10% | Return leg; dense + tolls. | Try this lane → |
| Buffalo, NY → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.18–$2.86 | 10% | Upstate NY to Midwest. | Try this lane → |
| Seattle, WA → Portland, OR | Dry van | $2.98–$3.78 | 7% | Short PNW lane; firm short-haul pricing. | Try this lane → |
| Seattle, WA → Los Angeles, CA | Reefer | $2.29–$2.98 | 11% | Southbound reefer; produce-dependent. | Try this lane → |
| Portland, OR → Salt Lake City, UT | Dry van | $2.18–$2.86 | 12% | Mountain crossing; weather seasonality. | Try this lane → |
| Denver, CO → Salt Lake City, UT | Dry van | $2.23–$2.86 | 12% | Mountain lane; weather seasonality. | Try this lane → |
| Denver, CO → Kansas City, MO | Dry van | $2.12–$2.75 | 12% | Plains eastbound; backhaul market. | Try this lane → |
| Salt Lake City, UT → Los Angeles, CA | Dry van | $2.18–$2.86 | 11% | Westbound into the basin. | Try this lane → |
| Houston, TX → New Orleans, LA | Flatbed | $2.75–$3.55 | 10% | Gulf industrial flatbed; securement pay. | Try this lane → |
| Pittsburgh, PA → Cleveland, OH | Flatbed | $2.86–$3.66 | 9% | Steel-belt flatbed; short haul premium. | Try this lane → |
Produce lanes — updated weekly (USDA)
Refrigerated produce truck rates from the USDA specialty-crops report, refreshed weekly. Quoted per load (not RPM), with the origin truck-availability status — a shortage means carriers have leverage.
This week's reported produce rates
Reefer · weekly- South and Central District California → Atlanta · Grapefruit$7,300–$8,500/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- South and Central District California → Baltimore · Grapefruit$8,500–$10,000/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Yakima Valley and Wenatchee District Washington → Philadelphia · Blueberries$9,200–$11,700/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Yakima Valley and Wenatchee District Washington → New York · Apples$9,500–$12,000/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Yakima Valley and Wenatchee District Washington → Seattle · Peaches$1,000–$1,500/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Yakima Valley and Wenatchee District Washington → Dallas · Rhubarb$6,300–$7,500/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Yakima Valley and Wenatchee District Washington → Los Angeles · Apples$3,200–$4,200/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Yakima Valley and Wenatchee District Washington → Chicago · Pears$6,300–$7,500/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Yakima Valley and Wenatchee District Washington → Boston · Peaches$9,700–$12,000/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Yakima Valley and Wenatchee District Washington → Baltimore · Blueberries$9,300–$10,700/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Yakima Valley and Wenatchee District Washington → Atlanta · Apples$8,300–$9,500/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
- Yakima Valley and Wenatchee District Washington → Miami · Blueberries$10,500–$14,000/loadTruck shortage at origin — carriers have leverage
Source: USDA AMS specialty-crops truck-rate report (weekly). Produce lanes only, quoted per load as USDA reports them — not a rate-per-mile, quote, or guarantee.
Ranges are approximate, hand-compiled January 2026 from public freight reports for educational context. They are auto-adjusted for national market movement via the BLS producer price index for long-distance truckload (latest: August 2026). They are not a rate quote, live market data, or a guarantee — confirm current rates with your own sources.
LoadMerit provides educational content, simulations, calculators, and decision-support tools for freight load analysis. Content is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be treated as legal, financial, tax, regulatory, insurance, brokerage, carrier, or dispatching advice.