Anchorage to Valdez Truck Dispatch
Freight route from Anchorage, AK to Valdez, AK (305 miles). It connects Anchorage to Valdez's petroleum terminal (Trans-Alaska Pipeline end point).
What do truck dispatch rates run from Anchorage to Valdez?
Anchorage to Valdez is a 305-mile lane paying about $854 - $1,037 per load, near $2.80 - $3.40 a mile. Freight is mostly pipeline-terminal freight, fishing freight and consumer goods.
- Distance
- 305 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $854 - $1,037
- Rate per mile
- $2.80 - $3.40
- Transit time
- 1 day
- Deadhead risk
- 20-25%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing and shift with fuel prices and mountain-pass conditions. See our dispatch fee structure.
Anchorage to Valdez
Anchorage to Valdez is a 305-mile, roughly 6-hour run east on the Glenn and Richardson Highways, into the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. Sited on 1,000 acres of ice-free Port Valdez, the terminal has loaded tankers since 1977 and moved its 19-billionth cumulative barrel in 2025, even as throughput has fallen to an all-time-low average of about 462,821 barrels a day.
Origin
Anchorage, AK
Destination
Valdez, AK
Distance
305 miles
Transit Time
1 day
Average Rate
$854 - $1,037
Rate per Mile
$2.80 - $3.40
305-mile lane, about 6 hours on the Glenn and Richardson Highways
Valdez is the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System
TAPS moved its 19-billionth cumulative barrel in 2025
Anchorage to Valdez: route facts a driver should know
Valdez is the end of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline
The Valdez Marine Terminal sits on 1,000 acres on the shore of ice-free Port Valdez, where tankers have loaded North Slope crude oil since 1977. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline moved an average of 463,000 barrels a day in 2025, and the terminal holds 14 storage tanks, each with a 510,000-barrel capacity.
Source: Alyeska Pipeline, Valdez Marine Terminal overview. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
The terminal is mid-way through major structural work
Summer 2025 saw major structural removal work at the Valdez Marine Terminal, part of a project meant to support another 50 years of safe operation. Expect ongoing construction activity in and around the terminal through the next several years.
Source: Alyeska Pipeline, 2025 Valdez Marine Terminal projects update. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
A medium lane: plan for a real HOS break
FMCSA requires a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving without one. This 305-mile lane runs close to 6 hours in good conditions, so plan your break into the schedule.
Source: FMCSA, Summary of Hours of Service Regulations. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Anchorage to Valdez?
About $346.95 this week. The lane is 305 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 47 gallons, and diesel is averaging $7.39 a gallon on this lane (week of October 19, 2026). The U.S. average diesel price is up 10 cents this week.
An estimate. It uses EIA's weekly average for this region, not the price at each pump. Your mpg and fuel card discounts change it.
- Distance
- 305 mi
- Diesel needed
- 47 gal
- Price used
- $7.39/gal
- Fuel cost
- $346.95
Common Freight Types
Pipeline-terminal freight, fishing freight and consumer goods fill the trailers heading east.
- Petroleum Equipment
- Industrial Supplies
- Consumer Goods
What makes the Anchorage to Valdez lane difficult?
The Richardson Highway crosses mountain passes that can see serious winter weather
The Richardson Highway crosses mountain passes that can see serious winter weather.
Pipeline-connected freight can require specialized handling and documentation
Pipeline-connected freight can require specialized handling and documentation.
A short-to-medium lane keeps per-load rates in a tighter range
A short-to-medium lane keeps per-load rates in a tighter range.
What freight moves on the Anchorage to Valdez lane?
What travels between Anchorage and Valdez, and why the TAPS terminal matters.
Primary Commodities
- •Petroleum Equipment
- •Industrial Supplies
- •Consumer Goods
Secondary Commodities
- •TAPS pipeline-terminal freight
- •Commercial fishing freight
- •Consumer goods
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Pipeline-terminal freight (steady)
- •Fishing freight (summer peak)
- •Consumer goods (steady)
When is the Anchorage to Valdez lane busiest?
Steady pipeline-terminal freight keeps this lane busy year-round.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
Little seasonal dip; TAPS terminal operations run year-round.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
Consumer goods climb ahead of winter as residents stock up before mountain-pass closures.
Produce Season?
A modest factor tied to the summer commercial fishing season.
- •Steady pipeline-terminal freight year-round
- •Summer fishing season
- •Winter resupply before mountain-pass closures
Hurricane Risk?
None. Winter mountain-pass weather on the Richardson Highway is this corridor's real risk.
Seasonal Strategy Summary
Terminal and fishing-connected freight run steady through the summer, with winter mountain-pass conditions adding real time and risk to the route.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Anchorage to Valdez lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need a weather plan.
When to Book
Suggested booking window:
1-2 days out is typical for this haul.
What Brokers Pay More
Loads that command more:
Time-critical pipeline-terminal-connected freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a fast winter delivery through the mountain passes without a weather plan.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Anchorage to Valdez
- •
Confirm whether your freight is terminal-connected before you dispatch. Ongoing structural work at the Valdez Marine Terminal can affect site access.
- •
This lane runs close to 6 hours, so plan your required HOS break into the schedule.
- •
Winter driving through the Chugach mountains adds real hours to this route. Price accordingly.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Anchorage to Valdez lane?
Valdez's pipeline terminal and port make a westbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Valdez, AK
- •Regional distribution hubs near Valdez
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 20-25%
With TAPS operations and Port Valdez's ice-free status, there is real backhaul variety year-round.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •Glennallen is a central Richardson/Glenn reload option. Anchorage is the main recovery market, and Fairbanks can offer longer interior freight.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Valdez's terminal-connected freight and fishing-port activity both give this lane real, if specialized, backhaul options.
- •
Check current terminal construction status before planning your return pickup timing.
- •
Book your Valdez-area return load with extra lead time in winter, when mountain-pass weather can delay pickup.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Anchorage to Valdez lane?
Three notes before this mountain-pass run.
Check Richardson Highway mountain-pass conditions before winter runs.
Confirm handling requirements before hauling pipeline-connected freight.
This lane pairs well with a same-day or next-day return load.
Before you book Anchorage to Valdez, confirm whether your freight connects to the marine terminal, since ongoing structural work there can affect site access.
Anchorage to Valdez Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, the TAPS terminal, and mountain-pass weather.
The lane data shows about $854 - $1,037 per load, or $2.80 - $3.40 a mile, across 305 miles.
It's the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, which moved its 19-billionth cumulative barrel in 2025.
About 6 hours for the 305 miles on the Glenn and Richardson Highways.
Reasonably, given the TAPS terminal's ongoing operations and the port's ice-free, year-round status.
Other Alaska freight lanes we dispatch
- Anchorage to Juneau
- Anchorage to Seward
- Anchorage to Kodiak
- Anchorage to Dutch Harbor
- Anchorage to Seattle
- Anchorage to Tacoma
Local resources
Dry Van owner-operator, West Coast: +$2,010/week after moving to $2.62/mi on general freight / consumer goods freight.
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