BOX · national · Oct 2026
Box truck rates per mile
A 26-foot straight truck, usually with a liftgate, for regional and final-mile loads.
$2.27/mi
+3.2% from last month
- 3 months
- +7.6%
- 1 year
- +17.6%
- 52-week range
- $1.93–$2.27
- Fuel per mile
- $0.69
Box truck · national · monthly since 2003
Box truck rate history
All-in rateFuel cost per mile
26' box truck freight in the United States averaged $2.27 a mile all-in in October 2026, up 3.2% from the month before and up 17.6% from a year earlier. That is the highest point of the past twelve months. Fuel accounts for about $0.69 of each mile at current diesel prices.
Price a box truck load
Box truck rates by state
| State | Outbound | Inbound |
|---|---|---|
| California | $3.12 | $1.91 |
| Oregon | $3.06 | $1.91 |
| Washington | $2.86 | $1.91 |
| Illinois | $2.81 | $1.88 |
| Minnesota | $2.74 | $2.12 |
| Michigan | $2.73 | $1.98 |
| Nebraska | $2.73 | $1.92 |
| Indiana | $2.71 | $1.96 |
| North Dakota | $2.71 | $2.17 |
| South Dakota | $2.71 | $2.02 |
| Wisconsin | $2.71 | $1.97 |
| Kansas | $2.68 | $1.98 |
| Ohio | $2.67 | $2.00 |
| Iowa | $2.58 | $1.92 |
| Missouri | $2.58 | $1.90 |
| Alabama | $2.42 | $2.25 |
| Mississippi | $2.33 | $2.26 |
| New York | $2.33 | $2.57 |
| Tennessee | $2.32 | $2.18 |
| Kentucky | $2.29 | $2.07 |
| New Jersey | $2.29 | $2.40 |
| Arkansas | $2.27 | $2.02 |
| Maryland | $2.25 | $2.49 |
| District of Columbia | $2.23 | $2.61 |
| Virginia | $2.23 | $2.55 |
| West Virginia | $2.23 | $2.49 |
| Louisiana | $2.22 | $2.18 |
| Delaware | $2.21 | $2.49 |
| Oklahoma | $2.20 | $2.20 |
| Texas | $2.20 | $1.98 |
| Idaho | $2.15 | $2.36 |
| Maine | $2.14 | $2.89 |
| Georgia | $2.12 | $2.26 |
| New Hampshire | $2.08 | $2.77 |
| North Carolina | $2.08 | $2.29 |
| Pennsylvania | $2.07 | $2.44 |
| South Carolina | $2.07 | $2.33 |
| Massachusetts | $2.01 | $2.65 |
| Rhode Island | $2.01 | $2.76 |
| Vermont | $2.01 | $2.77 |
| Montana | $1.97 | $2.36 |
| Connecticut | $1.89 | $2.80 |
| Nevada | $1.86 | $2.17 |
| New Mexico | $1.83 | $2.36 |
| Arizona | $1.79 | $2.11 |
| Utah | $1.79 | $2.40 |
| Wyoming | $1.79 | $2.55 |
| Florida | $1.77 | $2.88 |
| Colorado | $1.69 | $2.67 |
Box truck rates on major lanes
| Lane | Estimate | Per mile |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA → Dallas, TX | $3,527 | $2.39 |
| Chicago, IL → Atlanta, GA | $1,970 | $2.85 |
| Dallas, TX → Houston, TX | $729 | $2.77 |
| Atlanta, GA → Miami, FL | $1,945 | $2.72 |
| Los Angeles, CA → Phoenix, AZ | $1,470 | $3.42 |
| Chicago, IL → Dallas, TX | $2,195 | $2.33 |
| New York, NY → Chicago, IL | $1,592 | $1.88 |
| Seattle, WA → Los Angeles, CA | $2,506 | $2.21 |
| Houston, TX → Atlanta, GA | $1,761 | $2.13 |
| Memphis, TN → Chicago, IL | $1,180 | $2.08 |
| Columbus, OH → New York, NY | $1,840 | $3.26 |
| Denver, CO → Dallas, TX | $1,139 | $1.46 |
| Los Angeles, CA → Seattle, WA | $2,732 | $2.41 |
| Charlotte, NC → Philadelphia, PA | $1,319 | $2.46 |
| Kansas City, MO → Denver, CO | $2,055 | $3.15 |
About the 26' box truck
- Deck
- 26 ft × 8 ft, liftgate common
- Payload
- 10,000 lb
- Pallet positions
- 12
- Typical freight
- Regional distribution, trade shows, furniture, final mile
Annual averages
| Year | Average | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | $2.10 | $1.96 | $2.27 |
| 2025 | $1.93 | $1.92 | $1.93 |
| 2024 | $1.93 | $1.89 | $1.96 |
| 2023 | $1.87 | $1.78 | $1.99 |
| 2022 | $2.04 | $1.87 | $2.12 |
| 2021 | $1.74 | $1.63 | $1.84 |
| 2020 | $1.58 | $1.49 | $1.65 |
| 2019 | $1.57 | $1.56 | $1.58 |
| 2018 | $1.51 | $1.43 | $1.58 |
| 2017 | $1.40 | $1.38 | $1.42 |
| 2016 | $1.40 | $1.36 | $1.47 |
| 2015 | $1.45 | $1.45 | $1.45 |
| 2014 | $1.45 | $1.45 | $1.45 |
| 2013 | $1.45 | $1.45 | $1.45 |
| 2012 | $1.43 | $1.42 | $1.46 |
| 2011 | $1.40 | $1.38 | $1.41 |
| 2010 | $1.37 | $1.36 | $1.37 |
| 2009 | $1.35 | $1.33 | $1.38 |
| 2008 | $1.40 | $1.34 | $1.46 |
| 2007 | $1.28 | $1.25 | $1.33 |
| 2006 | $1.24 | $1.20 | $1.26 |
| 2005 | $1.20 | $1.17 | $1.22 |
| 2004 | $1.13 | $1.08 | $1.17 |
| 2003 | $1.07 | $1.07 | $1.07 |
Compare truck types
| Truck type | Per mile | 1 mo | 1 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAN53' dry van | $3.49 | +5.4% | +25.1% | |
| REEF53' refrigerated | $4.16 | −0.2% | +35.9% | |
| FLAT48' flatbed | $4.27 | +3.4% | +18.6% | |
| STEPStep deck | $4.66 | +3.3% | +18.6% | |
| PWRPower only | $3.05 | +5.5% | +25.0% | |
| HOTHotshot | $2.30 | +3.1% | +18.6% | |
| BOX26' box truck | $2.27 | +3.2% | +17.6% | |
| SPRTSprinter van | $1.40 | +3.7% | +17.6% |
Box truck rate questions
What is the average box truck rate per mile?
The Lane Cost Index puts the national average 26' box truck rate at $2.27 per mile all-in for a 750-mile full load in October 2026. Short hauls cost more per mile and long hauls less, because pickup, delivery and wait time are spread over fewer or more miles.
Are box truck rates going up or down?
They are up 3.2% over the past month, up 7.6% over three months and up 17.6% over twelve months.
How much does it cost to ship a 26' box truck load 500 miles?
Use the calculator for an estimate on your exact lane. As a guide, per-mile cost at 500 miles runs higher than the $2.27 national figure, which is quoted at 750 miles.
What does a 26' box truck carry?
A 26-foot straight truck, usually with a liftgate, for regional and final-mile loads. Deck: 26 ft × 8 ft, liftgate common. Legal payload is about 10,000 lb, or 12 standard pallets. Typical freight: regional distribution, trade shows, furniture, final mile.
Where do these numbers come from?
Rate levels are fitted to live all-in truckload quotes. Month-to-month history follows US Bureau of Labor Statistics trucking price indexes, and the fuel portion comes from Energy Information Administration diesel prices. They are estimates, not quotes.