215 miles · Est. 4.0 hours · Avg $2.90/mile · Gross $624
Day-Trip Economics
Fuel Estimate
$80
Based on avg diesel price
Toll Estimate
$30
Varies by route and state
Net After Costs
$514
Before your other costs
Lane Overview
215
Miles
$2.90
Avg rate/mile
$624
Avg gross rate
competitive
Competition
New York to Boston on I-95 north through Connecticut is a premium-rate Northeast corridor where the challenge isn't finding freight — it's surviving the drive. Consumer goods, healthcare supplies from NYC's pharma distribution network, and tech goods from the metro area flow north toward Boston's dense consumer and hospital market. At $2.80–$3.00/mile, rates are among the highest per-mile in the country, but $30 in tolls takes a real chunk.
I-95 through Bridgeport and New Haven, Connecticut is one of the most reliably congested stretches of highway in America — Monday through Friday rush hours can add 60–90 minutes to your drive time. Schedule Boston deliveries mid-morning. Boston's Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels have commercial vehicle restrictions — verify your route carefully before entering the city. Return loads Boston to New York (Lane 88) are strong: Boston's biotech, tech, and healthcare sectors generate premium freight. This lane rewards experienced Northeast specialists who know the traffic patterns cold.
Driver Tip
Short lane, fast turn. Margin on short runs is unforgiving. Use our Load Profitability Calculator to verify this load covers your costs before accepting.
What Moves on This Lane
Common Equipment
Return Freight
Boston to New York
215 miles · $2.85/mile avg
Similar Routes
Driver's Complete Guide
The New York to Boston run is one I describe to new drivers like this: the rate is real, the miles are short, and the drive will age you. Two hundred and fifteen miles on paper. Four to six hours in reality, depending entirely on what Connecticut decides to do to your schedule on any given weekday. I-95 through Bridgeport and New Haven is among the most consistently congested interstate stretches in the country, and there is no meaningful shortcut. You run it or you don't. The carriers who specialize in this lane make serious money — and they've accepted that traffic is part of the job description.
Boston has a freight appetite built around three industries: biotech, healthcare, and tech. The Kendall Square biotech cluster, Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's hospital systems, and the Route 128 technology corridor all generate inbound demand for pharmaceutical supplies, laboratory equipment, technology goods, and general consumer merchandise. New York's distribution infrastructure supplies much of it. Fashion and apparel from NYC's import network, high-value electronics, and healthcare supplies are the primary dry-van freight types. Reefer operators carry temperature-controlled pharma that won't tolerate delays.
I-95 north through the Bronx, into Connecticut at Greenwich, through Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, and into Rhode Island before cutting up to Boston via I-93. The Connecticut section is the entire story of this lane's difficulty. The stretch from Greenwich to New Haven has multiple merge points and lane reductions that create predictable backups from 6am to 9am and from 3pm to 7pm — sometimes later. Plan your departure from NYC for before 5am or after 10am. Once through Connecticut and into Providence, RI, traffic typically opens up. Boston delivery: the I-93 approach to South Boston's industrial district is the standard. The Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels are restricted for certain HAZMAT loads — verify restrictions before booking anything with placards. South Boston's Design Center area and Charlestown industrial zone are where most dry freight delivers.
At $2.80–$3.00/mile, the Northeast premium is real. Connecticut tolls add $15–$20 for commercial vehicles depending on axle count. Net the tolls and you're still running well. The freight that maximizes earnings here is time-sensitive — biotech cold chain, hospital supplies, fashion with delivery deadlines. Those shippers pay top rates because they can't afford delays. Spot market dry-van on this lane competes on price; specialty freight competes on reliability.
Boston back to New York generates strong freight from the biotech and healthcare sectors. Pharmaceutical finished goods heading to NYC distribution, tech equipment, and general consumer merchandise return southbound. Rates are $2.75–$2.95/mile. Boston's congestion in the morning means early evening pickup is often the smoothest out of the city.
What are the Sumner and Ted Williams tunnel commercial vehicle restrictions in Boston?
Both tunnels restrict certain HAZMAT classes. Flammable liquids, gases, and explosives are prohibited. Check MassDOT's current restriction list before booking any load requiring placards. The I-93 south approach to the tunnels is mandatory for most truck routes into South Boston.
What's the Connecticut E-ZPass toll for a 5-axle truck on I-95?
Connecticut's I-95 gantries charge by axle. A 5-axle combination typically runs $12–$18 northbound depending on entry and exit points. Get a CT E-ZPass or multi-state transponder — cash equivalents at the gantries are slower and slightly higher.
Is there a faster alternative to I-95 through Connecticut?
I-91 north through Hartford and I-84 east to Worcester, then I-90 east to Boston adds about 30 miles but often runs faster during peak congestion. Add 20–30 minutes of distance versus potentially saving 60 minutes of Connecticut traffic — situational call based on real-time conditions.
Dispatch Service
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