Manchester to Portland Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Manchester, NH to Portland, ME (94 miles). Connects Manchester to Maine's seafood/manufacturing base via I-95/Route 101.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Manchester to Portland?
Manchester to Portland is a 94-mile lane paying about $259 - $301 per load, near $2.75 - $3.20 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods, port-connected freight and air-cargo-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
- 10-15%
Lane rates reviewed September 2026. These numbers follow 2026 spot-market pricing and reflect the port's expected container growth. See our dispatch fee structure.
Manchester to Portland
Manchester to Portland is a 94-mile, roughly 1.5-hour run northeast on I-93 and I-95, connecting New Hampshire's biggest air-cargo market to Maine's main cargo port. The Port of Portland handles approximately 22 million tons of cargo annually and expects container shipping to grow 10% in the coming fiscal year.
Origin
Manchester, NH
Destination
Portland, ME
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-93 and I-95
The Port of Portland handles approximately 22 million tons of cargo annually
The port expects container shipping to grow 10% in its next fiscal year
Manchester to Portland: route facts a driver should know
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 even as many larger US ports have seen declines.
Source: Transport Topics, Maine port container growth coverage. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
DEKA Research anchors Manchester's historic Millyard
DEKA Research & Development 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.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Manchester to Portland?
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, port-connected freight and air-cargo-connected freight fill the trailers heading northeast.
- Consumer Goods
- Seafood
- Manufacturing Equipment
What makes the Manchester to Portland 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.
Winter weather in New England can affect road conditions from November through March
Winter weather in New England can affect road conditions from November through March.
Frozen-seafood and cold-storage freight requires strict temperature control
Frozen-seafood and cold-storage freight requires strict temperature control.
What freight moves on the Manchester to Portland lane?
What travels between Manchester and Portland, and why the port's growth outlook matters here.
Primary Commodities
- •Consumer Goods
- •Seafood
- •Manufacturing Equipment
Secondary Commodities
- •Port import/export-connected freight (Port of Portland)
- •Air-cargo-connected freight (Manchester)
- •Consumer goods
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Consumer goods (holiday import surge)
- •Port-connected freight (steady, growing)
- •Air-cargo-connected freight (steady)
When is the Manchester to Portland lane busiest?
Import timing and steady air-cargo freight both shape this lane.
Q1 (Jan-Mar): Slow Period?
A modest dip after the holidays as import volume normalizes.
Q4 (Oct-Dec): Peak Period?
Import-connected freight climbs ahead of the holidays.
Produce Season?
Not a major factor on this lane, though frozen-seafood imports run on their own steady cycle.
- •Q4 holiday import season
- •Steady port-connected freight year-round
- •Summer freight demand
Seasonal Strategy Summary
This lane runs steady year-round, with a seasonal bump in reefer freight during Maine's lobster harvest.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Manchester to Portland lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need reefer capacity.
When to Book
Suggested booking window:
Same-day to 1-2 days out is typical for this haul.
What Brokers Pay More
Loads that command more:
Time-critical cold-storage and port import-connected freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a fast winter delivery without checking New England road conditions.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Manchester to Portland
- •
At 94 miles, this is a short, quick run.
- •
Port-linked freight and live seafood are worth asking about on the Portland end.
- •
This short lane pairs well with a same-day round trip.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Manchester to Portland lane?
The Port of Portland's growth outlook makes a southwestbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Portland, ME
- •Regional distribution hubs near Portland
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 10-15%
With container shipping expected to grow 10% in the coming fiscal year, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •For a return toward southern New England, target Portland-to-Boston or Portland-to-Manchester freight. If you stay north, Bangor offers a deeper Maine reload market. I-89/I-93 can reposition the truck toward Vermont.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Portland's port and seafood freight base gives you real backhaul options.
- •
Manchester's manufacturing base keeps southbound loads flowing too.
- •
This lane is short enough to plan more than one trip a day.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Manchester to Portland lane?
Three notes before this Maine port corridor run.
This lane pairs well with a same-day or next-day return load.
Check New England winter conditions before a late-fall through early-spring run.
Confirm reefer temperature requirements before hauling frozen-seafood or cold-storage-connected freight.
If you haul reefer, Maine's lobster season (August through November) is worth building a seasonal relationship around.
Manchester to Portland Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, the Port of Portland's growth, and cold-storage freight.
The lane data shows about $259 - $301 per load, or $2.75 - $3.20 a mile, across 94 miles.
Approximately 22 million tons annually, with container shipping expected to grow 10% in the coming fiscal year.
About 1.5 hours for the 94 miles.
Reasonably, given the port's growth outlook and new cold-storage facility.
Other New Hampshire freight lanes we dispatch
- Manchester to Providence
- Manchester to Boston
- Manchester to Hartford
- Manchester to New York
- Manchester to Burlington
- Manchester to Albany
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 Manchester, NH to Portland, ME consistently?
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