Portland to Manchester Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Portland, ME to Manchester, NH (94 miles). A short, high-frequency corridor connecting Portland to New Hampshire's distribution corridor via I-95.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Portland to Manchester?
Portland to Manchester is a 94-mile lane paying about $259 - $301 per load, near $2.75 - $3.20 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods/e-commerce, air-cargo-connected freight and distribution-connected freight.
- Distance
- 94 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $259 - $301
- Rate per mile
- $2.75 - $3.20
- Transit time
- Same day / 2 hrs
- Deadhead risk
- 15-20%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing and rise during the Q4 e-commerce peak. See our dispatch fee structure.
Portland to Manchester
Portland to Manchester is a 94-mile, roughly 1.5-hour run southwest on I-95 and I-93, connecting Maine's main cargo port to New Hampshire's biggest air-cargo market. Manchester-Boston Regional Airport recorded a record year for cargo in 2025, with Amazon Air, FedEx and UPS all operating terminals there, including Amazon Air's 65,000-square-foot cargo facility.
Origin
Portland, ME
Destination
Manchester, NH
Distance
94 miles
Transit Time
Same day / 2 hrs
Average Rate
$259 - $301
Rate per Mile
$2.75 - $3.20
94-mile lane, about 1.5 hours on I-95 and I-93
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport recorded a record year for air cargo in 2025
Amazon Air, FedEx and UPS all operate terminals at Manchester, including a 65,000-square-foot Amazon Air facility
Portland to Manchester: route facts a driver should know
DEKA Research anchors Manchester's historic Millyard
DEKA Research & Development, founded by inventor Dean Kamen, is headquartered in Manchester's historic Amoskeag Millyard buildings and employs over 1,000 engineers, technicians, and support staff.
Source: Wikipedia, DEKA (company). Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Portland's port is bucking the national container decline
Portland, Maine's only container terminal, handles about 45,000 TEUs a year, with volume more than doubling over the past five years.
Source: Transport Topics, Maine port container growth coverage. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Portland to Manchester?
About $93.57 this week. The lane is 94 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 14 gallons, and diesel is averaging $6.47 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
- 94 mi
- Diesel needed
- 14 gal
- Price used
- $6.47/gal
- Fuel cost
- $93.57
Common Freight Types
Consumer goods, air-cargo-connected freight and distribution-connected freight fill the trailers heading southwest.
- Consumer Goods
- Seafood
- Manufacturing Equipment
What makes the Portland to Manchester lane difficult?
A short-to-medium lane keeps per-load rates in a moderate range
A short-to-medium lane keeps per-load rates in a moderate range.
Time-critical air-cargo-connected freight can require tight scheduling
Time-critical air-cargo-connected freight can require tight scheduling.
Competition from the region's carrier base can pressure rates
Competition from the region's carrier base can pressure rates.
What freight moves on the Portland to Manchester lane?
What travels between Portland and Manchester, and why the airport's record cargo growth matters here.
Primary Commodities
- •Consumer Goods
- •Seafood
- •Manufacturing Equipment
Secondary Commodities
- •Air-cargo-connected freight (Manchester-Boston Regional)
- •Consumer goods
- •Distribution-connected freight
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Consumer goods and e-commerce (holiday surge)
- •Air-cargo-connected freight (steady, record growth)
- •Distribution-connected freight (steady)
When is the Portland to Manchester lane busiest?
The Q4 e-commerce and air-cargo peak drives this lane hard.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holiday e-commerce peak.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
E-commerce and air-cargo-connected freight climb sharply from October through December.
Produce Season?
Not a major factor on this lane.
- •Q4 holiday e-commerce and air-cargo peak
- •Steady logistics freight year-round
- •Summer freight demand
Seasonal Strategy Summary
This lane runs steady year-round, without a major seasonal swing to plan around.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Portland to Manchester lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need tight scheduling.
When to Book
Suggested booking window:
Same-day to 1-2 days out is typical for this haul, tighter during the Q4 e-commerce peak.
What Brokers Pay More
Loads that command more:
Time-critical air-cargo-connected freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a slow-season load in a competitive corridor without checking current rates.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Portland to Manchester
- •
At 94 miles, this is a short, quick run.
- •
Engineering and specialized equipment freight is worth asking about given DEKA's Manchester presence.
- •
This short lane pairs well with a same-day round trip.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Portland to Manchester lane?
Manchester's record air-cargo growth makes a northeastbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Manchester, NH
- •Regional distribution hubs near Manchester
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 15-20%
With Amazon Air, FedEx and UPS all operating terminals there, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •A short, high-frequency regional corridor.
- •Pre-book return freight on load boards before you arrive, so you don't sit empty
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Manchester's manufacturing base, still the city's second-largest employer sector, gives you real backhaul options.
- •
Portland's own port and seafood freight keeps northbound loads flowing too.
- •
This lane is short enough to plan more than one trip a day.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Portland to Manchester lane?
Three notes before this air-cargo corridor run.
This lane pairs well with a same-day or next-day return load.
Confirm scheduling windows before hauling freight connecting to Manchester's air-cargo network.
Check current market rates before committing to a slow-season load.
Manchester's manufacturing sector is still its second-biggest employer, right behind healthcare. Worth knowing for steady freight beyond the historic textile-town reputation.
Portland to Manchester Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, Manchester's air-cargo growth, and market conditions.
The lane data shows about $259 - $301 per load, or $2.75 - $3.20 a mile, across 94 miles.
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport recorded a record year for air cargo in 2025, with Amazon Air, FedEx and UPS all operating terminals there.
About 1.5 hours for the 94 miles.
Reasonably, given the airport's record air-cargo growth and dense carrier presence.
Other Maine freight lanes we dispatch
- Portland to New York
- Portland to Boston
- Portland to Providence
- Portland to Hartford
- Portland to Bangor
- Portland to Montreal
Local resources
Also serving the other end of this lane
Dry Van owner-operator, Midwest: +$1,950/week after moving to $2.65/mi on produce / auto parts freight.
Read the case studyNeed help running Portland, ME to Manchester, NH consistently?
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