Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Des Moines, IA to Washington, DC reefer rate

$5,309reefer

−0.2% from last month

Per mile: $5.04
Distance: 1,054 mi
Typical range: $4,619–$6,000
Transit: 2 days

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Des Moines to Washington price history

3 months: +1.8%
1 year: +36.2%
5 years: +3.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,229
Fuel: $1,080
All-in estimate: $5,309

Return trip

Washington → Des Moines$3,391

This direction runs 57% above the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in DC prices above it.

Des Moines to Washington by truck type

Estimated cost from Des Moines, IA to Washington, DC by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,454	$4.23	$3,964 – $4,944
53' refrigerated	$5,309	$5.04	$4,619 – $6,000
48' flatbed	$5,404	$5.13	$4,647 – $6,160
Step deck	$5,893	$5.59	$4,950 – $6,835
Power only	$3,922	$3.72	$3,412 – $4,432
Hotshot	$2,959	$2.81	$2,456 – $3,463
26' box truck	$2,905	$2.76	$2,469 – $3,341
Sprinter van	$1,782	$1.69	$1,497 – $2,067

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 Washington

53' refrigerated lanes into Washington, DC
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	240 mi	$1,821	$7.59	$1,584 – $2,058	1 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,720 mi	$14,568	$5.36	$12,674 – $16,462	6 d
Chicago, IL	704 mi	$4,245	$6.03	$3,693 – $4,797	2 d
Houston, TX	1,439 mi	$5,846	$4.06	$5,086 – $6,606	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,332 mi	$7,281	$3.12	$6,334 – $8,227	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	149 mi	$1,321	$8.87	$1,149 – $1,493	1 d
San Antonio, TX	1,636 mi	$6,525	$3.99	$5,677 – $7,373	4 d
San Diego, CA	2,675 mi	$14,348	$5.36	$12,483 – $16,213	5 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Des Moines, IA to Washington, DC?

A 53' refrigerated from Des Moines, IA to Washington, DC is estimated at $5,309 all-in in October 2026, or $5.04 a mile over about 1,054 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,619 and $6,000.

How far is Des Moines, IA from Washington, DC by truck?

About 1,054 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 2 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,080 of the $5,309 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,229 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Washington, DC to Des Moines, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,391, which makes Des Moines, IA to Washington, DC 57% more expensive. 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 →