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 | $2.71–$3.50 | 8% | Steady intra-Texas lane; short haul keeps per-mile firm. | Try this lane → |
| Houston, TX → Dallas, TX | Flatbed | $2.71–$3.50 | 9% | Industrial flatbed; tarp/securement pay matters. | Try this lane → |
| Laredo, TX → Houston, TX | Reefer | $2.37–$3.05 | 10% | Cross-border produce; detention risk near the border. | Try this lane → |
| Dallas, TX → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.09–$2.65 | 10% | Long southeast haul; volume-dependent. | Try this lane → |
| Houston, TX → Los Angeles, CA | Dry van | $1.92–$2.48 | 12% | Long westbound; softer backhaul market. | Try this lane → |
| Dallas, TX → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.14–$2.71 | 10% | Northbound to the Midwest; seasonal swings. | Try this lane → |
| El Paso, TX → Phoenix, AZ | Dry van | $2.20–$2.82 | 11% | Southwest corridor; border-driven volume. | Try this lane → |
| Los Angeles, CA → Phoenix, AZ | Dry van | $2.60–$3.27 | 10% | Heavy outbound from the LA basin; softens midweek. | Try this lane → |
| Los Angeles, CA → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $1.97–$2.54 | 10% | Eastbound out of SoCal; rate depends on season. | Try this lane → |
| Los Angeles, CA → Seattle, WA | Reefer | $2.48–$3.16 | 10% | West coast produce; reefer premium. | Try this lane → |
| Ontario, CA → Las Vegas, NV | Dry van | $2.71–$3.38 | 9% | Short desert haul; firm short-haul pricing. | Try this lane → |
| Fresno, CA → Los Angeles, CA | Reefer | $2.82–$3.61 | 8% | Central Valley produce into LA; seasonal peaks. | Try this lane → |
| Phoenix, AZ → Los Angeles, CA | Dry van | $2.26–$2.93 | 11% | Return leg into the basin; backhaul softness. | Try this lane → |
| Phoenix, AZ → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $2.09–$2.65 | 10% | Southwest-to-Texas; steady. | Try this lane → |
| Atlanta, GA → Miami, FL | Reefer | $2.48–$3.16 | 12% | Produce-driven; firmer in winter season. | Try this lane → |
| Atlanta, GA → Charlotte, NC | Dry van | $2.60–$3.27 | 9% | Short southeast lane; dense freight. | Try this lane → |
| Atlanta, GA → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $2.03–$2.60 | 10% | Westbound long haul; backhaul-dependent. | Try this lane → |
| Miami, FL → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.03–$2.60 | 13% | Florida outbound is notoriously soft. | Try this lane → |
| Jacksonville, FL → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.14–$2.71 | 12% | Northbound out of Florida; backhaul market. | Try this lane → |
| Charlotte, NC → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.48–$3.16 | 9% | Dense southeast corridor. | Try this lane → |
| Charlotte, NC → Newark, NJ | Dry van | $2.37–$3.05 | 10% | Carolinas to the Northeast; tolls factor. | Try this lane → |
| Nashville, TN → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.37–$3.05 | 9% | Short southeast haul; steady. | Try this lane → |
| Memphis, TN → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $2.14–$2.71 | 8% | Distribution-hub origin; steady volume. | Try this lane → |
| Memphis, TN → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.20–$2.82 | 9% | Midsouth to Midwest; reliable. | Try this lane → |
| Birmingham, AL → Nashville, TN | Flatbed | $2.82–$3.61 | 8% | Building-materials flatbed; price the tarp work. | Try this lane → |
| Chicago, IL → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.14–$2.71 | 10% | Long midwest-to-southeast haul; volume-dependent. | Try this lane → |
| Chicago, IL → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $2.09–$2.60 | 10% | Backhaul market softens northbound returns. | Try this lane → |
| Chicago, IL → Columbus, OH | Dry van | $2.48–$3.16 | 8% | Dense Midwest lane; short haul. | Try this lane → |
| Chicago, IL → Kansas City, MO | Dry van | $2.26–$2.93 | 9% | Midwest staple; steady. | Try this lane → |
| Columbus, OH → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.37–$3.05 | 9% | Return leg; dense corridor. | Try this lane → |
| Columbus, OH → Atlanta, GA | Dry van | $2.20–$2.82 | 10% | Ohio to southeast; reliable volume. | Try this lane → |
| Indianapolis, IN → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.48–$3.27 | 8% | Short Midwest haul; firm. | Try this lane → |
| Detroit, MI → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.37–$3.05 | 9% | Auto-belt corridor. | Try this lane → |
| Kansas City, MO → Dallas, TX | Dry van | $2.14–$2.76 | 10% | Plains-to-Texas; steady. | Try this lane → |
| St. Louis, MO → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.37–$3.05 | 9% | Short Midwest lane. | Try this lane → |
| Minneapolis, MN → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.26–$2.93 | 10% | Upper Midwest; winter seasonality. | Try this lane → |
| Newark, NJ → Boston, MA | Dry van | $3.05–$3.95 | 8% | Dense Northeast corridor; tolls factor in. | Try this lane → |
| Newark, NJ → Charlotte, NC | Dry van | $2.14–$2.82 | 11% | Southbound out of the Northeast. | Try this lane → |
| Philadelphia, PA → Boston, MA | Dry van | $2.93–$3.84 | 8% | Short Northeast haul; tolls. | Try this lane → |
| Harrisburg, PA → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.20–$2.82 | 10% | Mid-Atlantic to Midwest. | Try this lane → |
| Boston, MA → Newark, NJ | Dry van | $2.60–$3.38 | 10% | Return leg; dense + tolls. | Try this lane → |
| Buffalo, NY → Chicago, IL | Dry van | $2.14–$2.82 | 10% | Upstate NY to Midwest. | Try this lane → |
| Seattle, WA → Portland, OR | Dry van | $2.93–$3.72 | 7% | Short PNW lane; firm short-haul pricing. | Try this lane → |
| Seattle, WA → Los Angeles, CA | Reefer | $2.26–$2.93 | 11% | Southbound reefer; produce-dependent. | Try this lane → |
| Portland, OR → Salt Lake City, UT | Dry van | $2.14–$2.82 | 12% | Mountain crossing; weather seasonality. | Try this lane → |
| Denver, CO → Salt Lake City, UT | Dry van | $2.20–$2.82 | 12% | Mountain lane; weather seasonality. | Try this lane → |
| Denver, CO → Kansas City, MO | Dry van | $2.09–$2.71 | 12% | Plains eastbound; backhaul market. | Try this lane → |
| Salt Lake City, UT → Los Angeles, CA | Dry van | $2.14–$2.82 | 11% | Westbound into the basin. | Try this lane → |
| Houston, TX → New Orleans, LA | Flatbed | $2.71–$3.50 | 10% | Gulf industrial flatbed; securement pay. | Try this lane → |
| Pittsburgh, PA → Cleveland, OH | Flatbed | $2.82–$3.61 | 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- Santa Maria California → Chicago · Celery$6,700–$7,100/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
- Santa Maria California → Boston · Lettuce, Red Leaf$11,200–$12,100/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
- Santa Maria California → Baltimore · Lettuce, Romaine$10,600–$11,400/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
- Santa Maria California → Atlanta · Strawberries$9,300–$9,800/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
- Imperial, Coachella Valleys Ca, Central and Western Az, Mexico Crossings Through Calexico and San Luis → Seattle · Lettuce, Iceberg$6,400–$6,900/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
- Imperial, Coachella Valleys Ca, Central and Western Az, Mexico Crossings Through Calexico and San Luis → Philadelphia · Spinach$10,200–$11,000/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
- Imperial, Coachella Valleys Ca, Central and Western Az, Mexico Crossings Through Calexico and San Luis → New York · Lettuce, Iceberg$10,800–$11,500/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
- Imperial, Coachella Valleys Ca, Central and Western Az, Mexico Crossings Through Calexico and San Luis → Miami · Spinach$10,400–$11,000/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
- Imperial, Coachella Valleys Ca, Central and Western Az, Mexico Crossings Through Calexico and San Luis → Dallas · Lettuce, Iceberg$5,400–$5,800/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
- Imperial, Coachella Valleys Ca, Central and Western Az, Mexico Crossings Through Calexico and San Luis → Chicago · Spinach$7,000–$7,500/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
- Imperial, Coachella Valleys Ca, Central and Western Az, Mexico Crossings Through Calexico and San Luis → Boston · Lettuce, Iceberg$11,600–$12,200/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
- Imperial, Coachella Valleys Ca, Central and Western Az, Mexico Crossings Through Calexico and San Luis → Baltimore · Spinach$10,200–$11,000/loadTruck supply adequate at origin
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: June 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.