Charleston to Savannah Truck Dispatch
Freight route connecting Charleston, SC to Savannah, GA (110 miles). A short coastal corridor between two competing Southeast container ports.
What do truck dispatch rates run from Charleston to Savannah?
Charleston to Savannah is a 110-mile lane paying about $303 - $352 per load, near $2.75 - $3.20 a mile. Freight is mostly consumer goods, port-connected freight and automotive-export freight.
- Distance
- 110 miles
- Avg. rate / load
- $302 - $352
- 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 for a short, high-rate-per-mile port corridor. See our dispatch fee structure.
Charleston to Savannah
Charleston to Savannah is a 110-mile, roughly 2-hour run south on I-95, connecting two of the Southeast's busiest deepwater ports. The Port of Savannah posted its second-busiest year ever in 2025 with nearly 5.7 million TEUs, though fiscal 2026 volume has softened slightly amid trade uncertainty and tariff-related factors.
Origin
Charleston, SC
Destination
Savannah, GA
Distance
110 miles
Transit Time
Same day / 2 hrs
Average Rate
$302 - $352
Rate per Mile
$2.75 - $3.20
110-mile lane, about 2 hours on I-95
The Port of Savannah posted its second-busiest year ever in 2025 with nearly 5.7 million TEUs
Fiscal 2026 volume has softened slightly amid trade uncertainty and tariff-related factors
Charleston to Savannah: route facts a driver should know
Savannah just had its second-busiest year ever
The Port of Savannah handled nearly 5.7 million TEUs in 2025, up 2.6% from the year before, its second-busiest year on record and the fastest-growing port on the US East Coast.
Source: Georgia Ports Authority. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Savannah's rail yard moved a record 545,000 containers in 2025
Savannah's Mason Mega Rail Terminal, the largest on-terminal intermodal rail facility in North America, moved a record 545,214 containers by rail in 2025, its fifth straight year above 500,000.
Source: Georgia Ports Authority. Checked 30 Sep 2026.
Diesel for this lane
How much is the diesel for Charleston to Savannah?
About $97.14 this week. The lane is 110 miles. A truck that gets 6.5 miles per gallon uses about 17 gallons, and diesel is averaging $5.74 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
- 110 mi
- Diesel needed
- 17 gal
- Price used
- $5.74/gal
- Fuel cost
- $97.14
Common Freight Types
Consumer goods, port-connected freight and automotive-export freight fill the trailers heading south.
- Containerized Cargo
- Retail Distribution
- Automotive Parts
What makes the Charleston to Savannah lane difficult?
Hurricane season (June-November) can disrupt both ports' operations
Hurricane season (June-November) can disrupt both ports' operations.
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.
Recent softening in Savannah's container volume can mean inconsistent port-connected freight
Recent softening in Savannah's container volume can mean inconsistent port-connected freight.
What freight moves on the Charleston to Savannah lane?
What travels between Charleston and Savannah, and why both ports' scale matters here.
Primary Commodities
- •Containerized Cargo
- •Retail Distribution
- •Automotive Parts
Secondary Commodities
- •Port import-connected freight (Savannah, Charleston)
- •Automotive-export-connected freight
- •Consumer goods
Seasonal Cargo
Peak seasons for this lane:
- •Consumer goods (holiday import surge)
- •Port-connected freight (steady, softening slightly)
- •Automotive-export freight (steady)
When is the Charleston to Savannah lane busiest?
Import timing and hurricane season 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 sharply ahead of the holidays.
Produce Season?
Not a major factor on this lane.
- •Q4 holiday import season
- •Hurricane-season disruption risk (June-November)
- •Steady port-connected freight year-round
Hurricane Risk?
Real at both ends; Atlantic hurricane season (June-November) can disrupt both ports' operations.
Seasonal Strategy Summary
This lane runs steady year-round, tracking both ports' consistent, growing container volume.
How do I negotiate the best rate on the Charleston to Savannah lane?
When to book, who pays extra, and which loads need a storm contingency.
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 port import-connected freight tends to pay a premium.
When to Avoid
Loads to price carefully:
Be careful committing to a fixed delivery date during an active hurricane without a contingency plan.
Rate Negotiation Tips for Charleston to Savannah
- •
At 110 miles, this is a short, quick run.
- •
Port-linked drayage is worth asking about on both ends, given both ports' growing volume.
- •
Rail-linked freight is common here too, given Savannah's huge intermodal rail yard.
How do I find a backhaul load on the Charleston to Savannah lane?
Savannah's massive container scale makes a northbound load realistic.
Best Return Cities
Where to look for the return load:
- •Savannah, GA
- •Regional distribution hubs near Savannah
Deadhead Risk %
Deadhead risk on this lane: 15-20%
With nearly 5.7 million TEUs moving through Savannah in 2025, there is real backhaul variety.
Alternative Routes
If the first load falls through, try these:
- •Strong two-port freight density (Charleston and Savannah) ensures reliable backhaul availability on this corridor.
Backhaul Optimization Tips
- •
Savannah's record rail and container volume gives you real backhaul options.
- •
Charleston's own growing port keeps freight flowing north too.
- •
This short lane pairs well with a same-day round trip.
What do experienced dispatchers know about the Charleston to Savannah lane?
Three notes before this two-port corridor run.
Check hurricane advisories before running this lane June through November.
This lane pairs well with a same-day or next-day return load.
Confirm current Savannah port-volume trends before counting on steady container freight.
Both ends of this lane are major, growing East Coast container ports. Drayage freight is rarely hard to find here.
Charleston to Savannah Lane FAQs
Answers on drive time, Savannah's port volume, and hurricane season.
The lane data shows about $303 - $352 per load, or $2.75 - $3.20 a mile, across 110 miles.
It posted its second-busiest year ever in 2025 with nearly 5.7 million TEUs, though fiscal 2026 volume has softened slightly amid trade uncertainty.
About 2 hours for the 110 miles on I-95.
Reasonably, given the port's massive container scale, though recent volume has softened somewhat.
Other South Carolina freight lanes we dispatch
- Charleston to Columbia
- Charleston to Atlanta
- Charleston to Greenville
- Charleston to Chicago
- Charleston to Dallas
- Charleston to Memphis
Local resources
Also serving the other end of this lane
Dry Van owner-operator, Southeast: +$2,550/week after moving to $2.85/mi on automotive parts / retail / beverage freight.
Read the case studyNeed help running Charleston, SC to Savannah, GA consistently?
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