Baltimore to Philadelphia Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Baltimore, MD to Philadelphia, PA (100 miles). Benefits from the new CSX Howard Street Tunnel double-stack capacity connecting Baltimore's port to Philadelphia.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Baltimore to Philadelphia?
Baltimore to Philadelphia is a 100-mile lane paying about $270 - $310 per load, near $2.70 - $3.10 a mile. Freight is mostly retail distribution, pharmaceuticals and import cargo.
- Distance
- 100 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $270 - $310
- Rate per mile
- $2.70 - $3.10
- Transit time
- Same day / 2 hrs
- Deadhead risk
- 10-15%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing and shift with Philadelphia's port and pharmaceutical-sector volume. See our dispatch fee structure.
Baltimore to Philadelphia
Baltimore to Philadelphia is a 100-mile, roughly 1.5-hour run northeast on I-95, connecting two major East Coast port cities. Philadelphia is home to one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing clusters in the country, with companies like GSK, Johnson & Johnson and dozens of biotech firms requiring temperature-controlled, tightly scheduled freight, while the Port of Philadelphia closed 2025 at a record 889,268 TEU.
Origin
Baltimore, MD
Destination
Philadelphia, PA
Distance
100 miles
Transit Time
Same day / 2 hrs
Average Rate
$270 - $310
Rate per Mile
$2.70 - $3.10
100-mile lane, about 1.5 hours on I-95
Philadelphia hosts one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing clusters in the country
The Port of Philadelphia closed 2025 at a record 889,268 TEU
Baltimore to Philadelphia: route facts a driver should know
The Fort McHenry Tunnel sets your height limit leaving Baltimore
The I-95 Fort McHenry Tunnel, which this lane uses leaving Baltimore, limits vehicles to 14 feet 6 inches high and 11 feet wide, and hazmat loads are barred from it entirely. Check your equipment against that limit, or route hazmat freight around the harbor on I-695 instead.
Source: Maryland Transportation Authority, tunnel restrictions reminder. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
The Delaware Memorial Bridge toll runs by axle count
The Delaware Memorial Bridge on I-95 charges commercial trucks by axle: $24 cash for a 3-axle truck, $32 for 4 axles, $40 for 5 axles and $48 for 6 axles, as of an April 2025 rate increase. Factor that toll into your cost per mile on this lane.
Source: Delaware River and Bay Authority, toll rate increase notice. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
A short lane: you likely won't need the 30-minute break
FMCSA requires a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving without one. This lane is about 2 hours of driving, so most drivers can finish it without a required break.
Source: FMCSA, Summary of Hours of Service Regulations. Checked 29 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Baltimore to Philadelphia?
About $100.12 this week. The lane is 100 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 15 gallons, and diesel is averaging $6.51 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
- 100 mi
- Diesel needed
- 15 gal
- Price used
- $6.51/gal
- Fuel cost
- $100.12
Common Freight Types
Retail distribution, pharmaceuticals and import cargo fill the trailers heading northeast.
- Containerized Cargo
- Pharmaceuticals
- Consumer Goods
What makes the Baltimore to Philadelphia lane difficult?
I-95 through the Wilmington, DE stretch can see heavy traffic and construction
I-95 through the Wilmington, DE stretch can see heavy traffic and construction.
Pharmaceutical freight often has strict chain-of-custody and temperature documentation requirements
Pharmaceutical freight often has strict chain-of-custody and temperature documentation requirements.
Philadelphia's port-area streets can be congested near pickup windows
Philadelphia's port-area streets can be congested near pickup windows.
What freight moves on the Baltimore to Philadelphia lane?
What travels between Baltimore and Philadelphia, and why pharma freight matters here.
Primary Commodities
- •Containerized Cargo
- •Pharmaceuticals
- •Consumer Goods
Secondary Commodities
- •Pharmaceutical and biotech freight
- •Port of Philadelphia import cargo
- •Retail distribution
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Pharmaceuticals (steady)
- •Retail distribution (holiday surge)
- •Import cargo (tied to port volume)
When is the Baltimore to Philadelphia lane busiest?
Steady pharmaceutical freight softens the usual retail seasonality on this lane.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holidays, cushioned by steady pharmaceutical freight.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
Retail distribution and port import volume both climb from October through December.
Produce Season?
Not a major factor on this lane.
- •Q4 holiday retail season
- •Steady pharmaceutical freight year-round
- •Port import surges
Hurricane Risk?
Real at the Philadelphia end. Check Atlantic storm forecasts from June through November.
Seasonal Strategy Summary
Pharmaceutical and port-connected freight stay steady through the year on this lane, with a modest bump in consumer goods during the Q4 holiday season.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Baltimore to Philadelphia lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need documentation.
When to Book
Suggested booking window:
1-2 days out is typical for this short-to-medium haul.
What Brokers Pay More
Loads that command more:
Time-critical pharmaceutical freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a fixed Philadelphia delivery during peak Atlantic storm season without a weather contingency.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Baltimore to Philadelphia
- •
Price the Delaware Memorial Bridge toll into your rate. It runs $24 to $48 depending on axle count and adds real cost to a short lane.
- •
Check your equipment against the Fort McHenry Tunnel's 14-foot-6-inch, 11-foot-wide limit before you route out of Baltimore. Hazmat needs the I-695 bypass instead.
- •
A two-hour lane like this supports two loads in a day if the receiver's dock window cooperates. Get that window in writing.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Baltimore to Philadelphia lane?
Philadelphia's record 2025 port volume makes a southbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the southbound load:
- •Philadelphia, PA
- •Regional distribution hubs near Philadelphia
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 10-15%
Check both the Port of Philadelphia and the pharmaceutical corridor around the city for reload freight.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •Strong port and distribution density at both ends keeps backhaul availability high on this corridor.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Philadelphia's port and pharmaceutical-distribution freight give this lane a real return option, not just a one-way haul.
- •
With about 2 hours of driving each way, a same-day round trip is realistic if you book the return load before you unload.
- •
Ask brokers about loads that avoid the Fort McHenry Tunnel restriction if you're running hazmat freight back through Baltimore.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Baltimore to Philadelphia lane?
Three notes before this Mid-Atlantic run.
Check I-95 conditions through Delaware before you leave; that stretch sees frequent construction.
Confirm temperature and documentation requirements before hauling pharmaceutical freight.
Build extra time into a port-area Philadelphia pickup.
Before you book Baltimore to Philadelphia, check your rig's height against the Fort McHenry Tunnel limit and budget the Delaware Memorial Bridge toll into your rate.
Baltimore to Philadelphia Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, Philadelphia's pharma cluster, and the port.
The lane data shows about $270 - $310 per load, or $2.70 - $3.10 a mile, across 100 miles.
It hosts one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing clusters in the country, with companies like GSK and Johnson & Johnson requiring temperature-controlled, tightly scheduled freight.
It closed 2025 at a record 889,268 TEU, adding steady import-cargo volume to this lane.
Reasonably, given the port's record volume and the region's pharmaceutical freight base.
Other Maryland freight lanes we dispatch
- Baltimore to New York
- Baltimore to Washington
- Baltimore to Pittsburgh
- Baltimore to Richmond
- Baltimore to Norfolk
- Baltimore to Charlotte
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.
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