Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Detroit, MI to Washington, DC reefer rate

$3,118reefer

−0.2% from last month

Per mile: $6.62
Distance: 471 mi
Typical range: $2,713–$3,523
Transit: 1 day

Request a firm quote

Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Detroit to Washington price history

3 months: +1.8%
1 year: +36.2%
5 years: +3.6%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,635
Fuel: $483
All-in estimate: $3,118

Return trip

Washington → Detroit$1,941

This direction runs 61% above the return trip. Leaving MI prices above the national average and arriving in DC prices above it.

Detroit to Washington by truck type

Estimated cost from Detroit, MI to Washington, DC by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,612	$5.55	$2,325 – $2,900
53' refrigerated	$3,118	$6.62	$2,713 – $3,523
48' flatbed	$3,239	$6.88	$2,785 – $3,692
Step deck	$3,546	$7.53	$2,979 – $4,113
Power only	$2,259	$4.80	$1,966 – $2,553
Hotshot	$1,703	$3.62	$1,413 – $1,992
26' box truck	$1,687	$3.58	$1,434 – $1,941
Sprinter van	$1,045	$2.22	$878 – $1,212

Live market check

Get live dry van quotes on this lane

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.

Request a quote for reefer →

More lanes from Detroit

53' refrigerated lanes from Detroit, MI
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	576 mi	$3,508	$6.09	$3,052 – $3,965	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,344 mi	$8,162	$3.48	$7,101 – $9,223	5 d
Chicago, IL	281 mi	$1,663	$5.92	$1,447 – $1,880	1 d
Houston, TX	1,305 mi	$5,071	$3.89	$4,412 – $5,730	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,985 mi	$7,762	$3.91	$6,753 – $8,771	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	526 mi	$3,138	$5.96	$2,730 – $3,545	1 d
San Antonio, TX	1,460 mi	$5,574	$3.82	$4,849 – $6,298	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,314 mi	$8,068	$3.49	$7,019 – $9,116	5 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 Detroit, MI to Washington, DC?

A 53' refrigerated from Detroit, MI to Washington, DC is estimated at $3,118 all-in in October 2026, or $6.62 a mile over about 471 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,713 and $3,523.

How far is Detroit, MI from Washington, DC by truck?

About 471 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 $483 of the $3,118 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,635 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Washington, DC to Detroit, MI?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,941, which makes Detroit, MI to Washington, DC 61% 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 →