Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Des Moines, IA to Milwaukee, WI reefer rate

$1,894reefer

−0.2% from last month

Per mile: $5.25
Distance: 361 mi
Typical range: $1,648–$2,141
Transit: 1 day

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Des Moines to Milwaukee price history

3 months: +1.9%
1 year: +36.0%
5 years: +3.6%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,524
Fuel: $370
All-in estimate: $1,894

Return trip

Milwaukee → Des Moines$1,937

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 Milwaukee by truck type

Estimated cost from Des Moines, IA to Milwaukee, WI by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,586	$4.39	$1,412 – $1,761
53' refrigerated	$1,894	$5.25	$1,648 – $2,141
48' flatbed	$1,984	$5.49	$1,706 – $2,261
Step deck	$2,175	$6.03	$1,827 – $2,523
Power only	$1,362	$3.77	$1,185 – $1,539
Hotshot	$1,026	$2.84	$852 – $1,201
26' box truck	$1,021	$2.83	$868 – $1,174
Sprinter van	$635	$1.76	$533 – $736

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 Milwaukee

53' refrigerated lanes into Milwaukee, WI
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	873 mi	$3,130	$3.59	$2,723 – $3,537	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,589	$4.16	$7,473 – $9,706	4 d
Chicago, IL	101 mi	$1,198	$11.86	$1,042 – $1,353	1 d
Houston, TX	1,186 mi	$3,763	$3.17	$3,274 – $4,252	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,718 mi	$4,202	$2.45	$3,656 – $4,748	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	821 mi	$2,652	$3.23	$2,307 – $2,996	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,306 mi	$4,076	$3.12	$3,546 – $4,606	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,040 mi	$8,504	$4.17	$7,399 – $9,610	4 d

About this lane

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

A 53' refrigerated from Des Moines, IA to Milwaukee, WI is estimated at $1,894 all-in in October 2026, or $5.25 a mile over about 361 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,648 and $2,141.

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

About 361 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 $370 of the $1,894 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,524 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,937, which makes Des Moines, IA to Milwaukee, 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 →