Portland to Philadelphia Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Portland, ME to Philadelphia, PA (400 miles). Philadelphia's pharma corridor and port connect via I-95.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Portland to Philadelphia?
Portland to Philadelphia is a 400-mile lane paying about $940 - $1,120 per load, near $2.35 - $2.80 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods, pharmaceutical-connected freight and frozen-seafood-connected freight.
- Distance
- 400 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $940 - $1,120
- Rate per mile
- $2.35 - $2.80
- Transit time
- 1 day
- Deadhead risk
- 30-35%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing and shift with fuel prices over this long Northeast corridor. See our dispatch fee structure.
Portland to Philadelphia
Portland to Philadelphia is a 400-mile, roughly 6.5-hour run southwest on I-95, connecting Maine's main cargo port to one of the Mid-Atlantic's major port and pharmaceutical-distribution centers. Philadelphia's port and refinery-adjacent industrial base keeps steady southbound freight demand flowing on this long corridor.
Origin
Portland, ME
Destination
Philadelphia, PA
Distance
400 miles
Transit Time
1 day
Average Rate
$940 - $1,120
Rate per Mile
$2.35 - $2.80
400-mile lane, about 6.5 hours on I-95
Philadelphia anchors a major Mid-Atlantic port and pharmaceutical-distribution base
The Port of Portland handles approximately 22 million tons of cargo annually
Portland to Philadelphia: route facts a driver should know
PhilaPort just posted a record year for container volume
PhilaPort handled a record 889,268 TEUs in 2025, up 6% from the year before, with refrigerated containers making up 43% of that tonnage.
Source: PhilaPort, 2025 cargo volume announcement. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Maine's lobster industry topped $460 million in 2025
Maine harvesters landed 78.8 million pounds of lobster in 2025, worth $461.4 million, driving steady reefer and live-seafood freight demand to markets well beyond New England.
Source: News Center Maine, citing Maine Department of Marine Resources data. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Portland to Philadelphia?
About $399.32 this week. The lane is 400 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 62 gallons, and diesel is averaging $6.49 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 the two regions this lane connects, not the price at each pump. Your mpg and fuel card discounts change it.
- Distance
- 400 mi
- Diesel needed
- 62 gal
- Price used
- $6.49/gal
- Fuel cost
- $399.32
Common Freight Types
Consumer goods, pharmaceutical-connected freight and frozen-seafood-connected freight fill the trailers heading southwest.
- Lobster & Seafood
- Consumer Goods
- Paper Products
What makes the Portland to Philadelphia lane difficult?
A cross-region run this long requires careful hours-of-service planning
A cross-region run this long requires careful hours-of-service planning.
I-95 through Boston, New York and Connecticut can see heavy, unpredictable congestion
I-95 through Boston, New York and Connecticut can see heavy, unpredictable congestion.
Pharmaceutical-connected freight can require specific handling or temperature control
Pharmaceutical-connected freight can require specific handling or temperature control.
What freight moves on the Portland to Philadelphia lane?
What travels between Portland and Philadelphia, and why the pharmaceutical-distribution base matters here.
Primary Commodities
- •Lobster & Seafood
- •Consumer Goods
- •Paper Products
Secondary Commodities
- •Pharmaceutical-distribution-connected freight
- •Frozen-seafood-connected freight
- •Consumer goods
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Consumer goods (holiday surge)
- •Pharmaceutical-connected freight (steady)
- •Frozen-seafood freight (steady)
When is the Portland to Philadelphia lane busiest?
Retail timing and steady pharmaceutical-connected freight both shape this lane.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holidays, cushioned by steady pharmaceutical-distribution freight.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
Consumer goods climb from October through December.
Produce Season?
Not a major factor on this lane.
- •Q4 holiday retail season
- •Steady pharmaceutical-distribution freight year-round
- •Summer freight demand
Seasonal Strategy Summary
This lane runs steady year-round, with lobster season from August through November driving extra reefer freight demand.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Portland to Philadelphia lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need special handling.
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 pharmaceutical-distribution freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a tight delivery window through multiple Northeast metro areas without a significant congestion buffer.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Portland to Philadelphia
- •
This is a long haul at 400 miles, so plan for a solid one-day trip.
- •
PhilaPort's reefer volume, 43% of its tonnage, makes this lane worth checking for produce and cold-chain freight.
- •
Live seafood freight is worth asking about on the Portland end too.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Portland to Philadelphia lane?
Philadelphia's port and pharmaceutical base make a northeastbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Philadelphia, PA
- •Regional distribution hubs near Philadelphia
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 30-35%
With a major port and pharmaceutical-distribution base, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •Pre-book backhaul before arrival given the long haul.
- •Pre-book return freight on load boards before you arrive, so you don't sit empty
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
PhilaPort's record container growth means drayage backhauls are worth checking near the port.
- •
Maine's lobster and seafood industry keeps northbound reefer freight flowing too.
- •
Ask about reefer freight specifically, since it's such a large share of what moves through PhilaPort.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Portland to Philadelphia lane?
Three notes before this long Northeast corridor run.
Plan your hours-of-service and rest stops before this 6.5-hour run.
Build in significant extra time for I-95 congestion through multiple Northeast metro areas.
Confirm handling requirements before hauling pharmaceutical-connected freight.
PhilaPort's reefer share, 43% of its tonnage, makes this a good lane to ask about for cold-chain freight specifically.
Portland to Philadelphia Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, Philadelphia's pharmaceutical base, and congestion.
The lane data shows about $940 - $1,120 per load, or $2.35 - $2.80 a mile, across 400 miles.
About 6.5 hours for the 400 miles.
It anchors a major Mid-Atlantic port and pharmaceutical-distribution base.
Reasonably, given the metro's port and pharmaceutical-distribution freight base.
Other Maine freight lanes we dispatch
- Portland to Burlington
- Portland to Montreal
- Portland to Baltimore
- Portland to Bath
- Portland to Augusta
- Portland to Concord
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 Philadelphia, PA consistently?
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