Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Des Moines, IA to Madison, WI reefer rate

$1,649reefer

−0.2% from last month

Per mile: $5.87
Distance: 281 mi
Typical range: $1,435–$1,864
Transit: 1 day

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Des Moines to Madison price history

3 months: +1.9%
1 year: +36.2%
5 years: +3.5%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,361
Fuel: $288
All-in estimate: $1,649

Return trip

Madison → Des Moines$1,687

This direction runs 2% below the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in WI prices below it.

Des Moines to Madison by truck type

Estimated cost from Des Moines, IA to Madison, WI by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,380	$4.91	$1,229 – $1,532
53' refrigerated	$1,649	$5.87	$1,435 – $1,864
48' flatbed	$1,741	$6.19	$1,497 – $1,984
Step deck	$1,912	$6.80	$1,606 – $2,217
Power only	$1,177	$4.19	$1,024 – $1,330
Hotshot	$886	$3.15	$735 – $1,037
26' box truck	$885	$3.15	$752 – $1,017
Sprinter van	$552	$1.96	$464 – $641

Live market check

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The index is an estimate. For a price you can act on, ask connected freight providers for a live 53' dry van rate, or send the load details and get quoted for any truck type.

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More lanes from Des Moines

53' refrigerated lanes from Des Moines, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,208 mi	$5,835	$4.83	$5,076 – $6,593	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,705 mi	$5,824	$3.42	$5,067 – $6,581	4 d
Chicago, IL	361 mi	$1,807	$5.01	$1,572 – $2,042	1 d
Houston, TX	968 mi	$3,762	$3.89	$3,273 – $4,251	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,357 mi	$5,286	$3.90	$4,598 – $5,973	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,145 mi	$5,312	$4.64	$4,622 – $6,003	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,039 mi	$3,980	$3.83	$3,462 – $4,497	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,679 mi	$5,747	$3.42	$5,000 – $6,494	4 d

More lanes into Madison

53' refrigerated lanes into Madison, WI
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	960 mi	$3,371	$3.51	$2,933 – $3,809	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,978 mi	$8,275	$4.18	$7,199 – $9,351	4 d
Chicago, IL	146 mi	$1,348	$9.23	$1,173 – $1,523	1 d
Houston, TX	1,152 mi	$3,675	$3.19	$3,197 – $4,152	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,636 mi	$4,028	$2.46	$3,504 – $4,551	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	906 mi	$2,861	$3.16	$2,489 – $3,233	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,260 mi	$3,956	$3.14	$3,442 – $4,470	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,956 mi	$8,193	$4.19	$7,128 – $9,258	4 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Des Moines, IA to Madison, WI?

A 53' refrigerated from Des Moines, IA to Madison, WI is estimated at $1,649 all-in in October 2026, or $5.87 a mile over about 281 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,435 and $1,864.

How far is Des Moines, IA from Madison, WI by truck?

About 281 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 1 day of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $288 of the $1,649 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,361 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Madison, WI to Des Moines, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,687, which makes Des Moines, IA to Madison, WI 2% cheaper. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Figures are estimates for a standard full load. Get a firm quote for this lane →