Imperial Valley & Yuma to Chicago
What a refrigerated truckload of produce costs from Imperial & Coachella valleys, Arizona, and Calexico / San Luis crossings to Chicago, week by week, from USDA’s National Truck Rate Report. The latest rate, for the week of Oct 26, 2026, is $7,280–7,630 a load.
- This week
- Oct 26, 2026
- Range
- $7,280–7,630
- Change
- +5%
- Trucks
- Adequate
Is this week’s rate high or low? · On the high side
Higher than 140 of the 161 earlier weeks on record.
Lowest on recordHighest on record
Shipping from Imperial Valley & Yuma this week: Anise, Artichokes, Beets, Blackberries, Blueberries, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts and 13 more.
Over the last 52 weeks the lane was quoted 27 times, averaging $7,091 at the middle, from a low of $5,400 to a high of $8,000. Months it has been quoted in: all year.
Rate per mile This week’s quote, for your trip
Enter the trip’s miles to turn the $7,280–7,630 rate into dollars per mile.
Freight cost per case What the truck adds to each case and pound
Enter how many cases fill the truck to spread the $7,280–7,630 rate across them.
Every week on record Nov 15, 2021 to Oct 26, 2026
The shaded band runs from the lowest to the highest rate USDA reported each week; the line is the middle of the “mostly” range, or of the full range when USDA gives no “mostly”. Gaps are weeks the lane wasn’t quoted.
Week by week The last 52 quotes
| Week of | Range | Mostly | Change | Trucks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 26, 2026 | $7,280–7,630 | — | +5% | Adequate |
| Oct 19, 2026 | $6,885–7,290 | — | −5% | Adequate |
| Oct 12, 2026 | $7,280–7,705 | — | +13% | Adequate |
| Oct 5, 2026 | $6,400–6,850 | — | −9% | Slight Shortage |
| Sep 28, 2026 | $7,100–7,500 | — | +11% | Slight Shortage |
| Sep 21, 2026 | $6,400–6,700 | — | 0% | Slight Shortage |
| Sep 14, 2026 | $6,400–6,700 | — | +1% | Slight Shortage |
| Sep 7, 2026 | $6,200–6,800 | — | −13% | Slight Shortage |
| Aug 31, 2026 | $7,300–7,600 | — | +3% | Slight Shortage |
| Aug 24, 2026 | $7,000–7,400 | — | +4% | Adequate |
| Aug 17, 2026 | $6,700–7,200 | — | −1% | Adequate |
| Aug 10, 2026 | $6,700–7,300 | — | +1% | Adequate |
| Aug 3, 2026 | $6,700–7,100 | — | −7% | Adequate |
| Jul 27, 2026 | $7,300–7,600 | — | +3% | Adequate |
| Jul 20, 2026 | $7,000–7,500 | — | −3% | Adequate |
| Jul 13, 2026 | $7,200–7,700 | — | −3% | Slight Shortage |
| Jul 6, 2026 | $7,400–8,000 | — | +1% | Adequate |
| Jun 29, 2026 | $7,400–7,800 | — | −1% | Adequate |
| Jun 22, 2026 | $7,350–8,000 | — | 0% | Adequate |
| Jun 15, 2026 | $7,350–8,000 | — | +5% | Adequate |
| Jun 8, 2026 | $6,600–8,000 | — | 0% | Slight Shortage |
| Jun 1, 2026 | $6,600–8,000 | — | +1% | Slight Shortage |
| May 25, 2026 | $6,500–8,000 | — | 0% | Slight Shortage |
| May 18, 2026 | $6,500–8,000 | — | +7% | Slight Shortage |
| May 11, 2026 | $6,500–7,100 | — | +13% | Adequate |
| May 4, 2026 | $5,600–6,400 | $6,000 | +5% | Adequate |
| Apr 27, 2026 | $5,400–6,000 | — | — | Slight Shortage |
| Jan 6, 2025 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Dec 30, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | — | Adequate |
| Dec 16, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Dec 9, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Dec 2, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Nov 25, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Nov 18, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Nov 11, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Nov 4, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Oct 28, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Oct 21, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Oct 14, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Oct 7, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Sep 30, 2024 | $4,600–5,600 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Sep 23, 2024 | $4,300–6,000 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Sep 16, 2024 | $4,300–6,000 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Sep 9, 2024 | $4,300–6,000 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Sep 2, 2024 | $4,300–6,000 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Aug 26, 2024 | $4,300–6,000 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Aug 19, 2024 | $4,300–6,000 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Aug 12, 2024 | $4,300–6,000 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Aug 5, 2024 | $4,300–6,000 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Jul 29, 2024 | $4,500–6,000 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Jul 22, 2024 | $4,500–5,900 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Jul 15, 2024 | $4,500–5,900 | $4,800–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
Into Chicago this week Cheapest first
| From | Range |
|---|---|
| Florida, statewide | $2,150–2,350 |
| Georgia | $2,200–2,400 |
| South Texas | $3,600–4,400 |
| Nogales, AZ | $6,200–6,400 |
| Salinas, CA | $6,810–7,130 |
| Imperial Valley & Yuma | $7,280–7,630 |
| Kern, CA | $7,460–7,980 |
| Yakima & Wenatchee, WA | $7,200–8,800 |
| South & Central CA | $7,825–8,115 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $7,920–8,295 |
From Imperial Valley & Yuma this week Cheapest first
Trucks at the border right now Northbound commercial lanes, from CBP
Loads from Imperial Valley & Yuma cross from Mexico first. These are the truck waits at the crossings they use, refreshed when this page opens.
| Crossing | Standard | FAST | Posted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calexico East | Closed | Closed | — |
About these numbers
Rates are USDA’s, for a full load in a 48 to 53 foot refrigerated trailer, broker fees included, as reported in the Specialty Crops National Truck Rate Report. The range is the lowest to highest rate reported that week; “mostly” is where most loads moved. USDA names this shipping area “IMPERIAL, COACHELLA VALLEYS CA, CENTRAL AND WESTERN AZ, MEXICO CROSSINGS THROUGH CALEXICO AND SAN LUIS”. The latest report was published Oct 28, 2026; the next is due Wed, Nov 4, 2026.
The rate sheet has every lane for this week, how the data is collected, and the whole history as a CSV download. Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Specialty Crops Market News.