97 miles · Est. 1.8 hours · Avg $2.80/mile · Gross $272
Day-Trip Economics
Fuel Estimate
$36
Based on avg diesel price
Toll Estimate
$35
Varies by route and state
Net After Costs
$201
Before your other costs
Lane Overview
97
Miles
$2.80
Avg rate/mile
$272
Avg gross rate
competitive
Competition
New York to Philadelphia is 97 miles of Northeast hell — and the rates reflect it at $2.70–$2.90/mile. Consumer goods from NYC's massive retail and food distribution network feed Philadelphia's 2 million consumers. Retail merchandise, food and beverage, and fashion goods move constantly on the New Jersey Turnpike. This is the highest-density carrier corridor in the country — you need established broker connections or direct shipper accounts to consistently land top rates.
The New Jersey Turnpike tolls are $35 or more for commercial vehicles — budget this carefully into your rate acceptance. Congestion on the NJT between Exit 6 and Exit 4 near Camden is constant, especially Monday mornings and Friday afternoons. Newark and Camden urban deliveries require dock appointments booked days in advance. Return loads Philadelphia to New York (Lane 44) are equally competitive. This is a lane for carriers with dedicated customer relationships, not spot market speculators.
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
Philadelphia to New York
97 miles · $2.85/mile avg
Similar Routes
Driver's Complete Guide
Ninety-seven miles. The New York-to-Philadelphia run is barely a half-day drive on paper — and one of the most expensive short lanes in the country to operate. The NJ Turnpike toll for a commercial vehicle runs $13–$18 southbound depending on your axle configuration and entry/exit points, and that's each direction. Add the time tax of Turnpike congestion, and you'd better be running this lane with a solid rate and a confirmed dock appointment at the other end. This is not a load board speculation route. It's a specialist's lane.
New York City's distribution machine feeds Philadelphia constantly. Consumer goods from the massive Hunts Point and Bronx distribution infrastructure, pharma and healthcare freight from the metro area's hospital supply networks, and fashion merchandise from NYC's garment district and apparel importers all move south. Philadelphia's 1.5 million consumers and major hospital systems — Jefferson, Penn Medicine, Temple — have a continuous appetite. The freight is real and plentiful; the problem is the 500 other trucks competing for the same loads.
I-95 south from the GWB or Lincoln Tunnel area to the NJ Turnpike, then south to Exit 4 or Exit 6 depending on your Philadelphia delivery zone. The NJ Turnpike is a commercial vehicle-designated route but that doesn't make it fast. The stretch between Exit 8A (Monroe Township) and Exit 6 (Pennsauken) congests reliably during business hours — Monday mornings are particularly brutal as the week's freight movement begins. For South Philadelphia deliveries, Exit 2 at Route 322 connects efficiently. For North Philadelphia or Northeast Philly, Exit 5 to Route 73 is cleaner than fighting through downtown. Do not attempt the Ben Franklin Bridge approach during morning rush — the I-676 interchange is a parking lot.
At $2.70–$2.90/mile, the rate looks attractive until you subtract $35+ in tolls from a $277 load. That's a 12% toll haircut before fuel. High-value, time-sensitive freight — pharmaceutical, fashion, high-end retail — justifies this lane. Commodity freight does not. The carriers who make consistent money here have direct shipper relationships with pharma distributors in northern New Jersey or major food service companies in the Bronx who need guaranteed delivery windows into Philadelphia. Spot market on the load board for this lane is a race to the bottom.
Philadelphia to New York is Lane 44 and runs equally competitive in the opposite direction. Port of Philadelphia cargo and Delaware Valley consumer goods head north. Return rates are $2.75–$2.95/mile. Pre-book before your southbound delivery if you plan to run both directions.
What are the NJ Turnpike toll costs for a typical 5-axle combination?
E-ZPass rate for a 5-axle tractor-trailer from Exit 14E (Newark) to Exit 4 (Pennsauken) runs approximately $13. Cash lanes run higher and no longer accept cash at some plazas — get a transponder before running this route regularly.
What's the best departure time from NYC to beat Turnpike congestion?
Before 6am or after 10am on weekdays. Monday mornings are the worst — the week's freight volume hits simultaneously. Friday afternoon southbound backs up from Exit 6 to Exit 8A regularly.
Are there weight restrictions specific to the NJ Turnpike for commercial vehicles?
Standard federal 80,000 lb gross vehicle weight limits apply. The Turnpike has weigh-in-motion sensors at several plazas — trucks flagged over weight get directed to the weigh station near Exit 8A. Keep your load within legal limits and carry your permits if you're running anything close to the edge.
Dispatch Service
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