Salinas, CA to Seattle
What a refrigerated truckload of produce costs from Salinas–Watsonville, California to Seattle, week by week, from USDA’s National Truck Rate Report. The lane is out of season right now; it was last quoted the week of Sep 11, 2023, at $3,000–5,000 a load.
- Last quoted
- Sep 11, 2023
- Range
- $3,000–5,000
- Mostly
- $3,700–4,200
- Change
- +13%
- Trucks
- Slight Surplus
How the last quote compared · About average
Higher than 26 of the 54 earlier weeks on record.
Lowest on recordHighest on record
A year earlier (week of Sep 12, 2022) the middle of the range was $4,900; this week’s is −19% against that. Months it has been quoted in: April to December.
Rate per mile The last quote, for your trip
Enter the trip’s miles to turn the $3,000–5,000 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 $3,000–5,000 rate across them.
Every week on record May 9, 2022 to Sep 11, 2023
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2023 | $3,000–5,000 | $3,700–4,200 | +13% | Slight Surplus |
| Sep 4, 2023 | $2,700–5,000 | $3,200–3,800 | −5% | Slight Surplus |
| Aug 28, 2023 | $2,800–5,200 | $3,400–4,000 | +10% | Adequate |
| Aug 21, 2023 | $2,600–5,000 | $3,000–3,700 | +3% | Slight Surplus |
| Aug 14, 2023 | $2,600–5,000 | $2,800–3,700 | −8% | Slight Surplus |
| Aug 7, 2023 | $3,000–5,000 | $3,100–4,000 | −4% | Adequate |
| Jul 31, 2023 | $3,000–5,000 | $3,400–4,000 | −3% | Adequate |
| Jul 24, 2023 | $3,000–5,000 | $3,400–4,200 | −5% | Adequate |
| Jul 17, 2023 | $3,000–5,200 | $3,600–4,400 | −2% | Adequate |
| Jul 10, 2023 | $3,000–5,200 | $3,600–4,600 | +14% | Adequate |
| Jul 3, 2023 | $2,600–4,800 | $3,200–4,000 | −10% | Adequate |
| Jun 26, 2023 | $3,000–5,200 | $3,600–4,400 | +5% | Slight Shortage |
| Jun 19, 2023 | $2,800–5,000 | $3,400–4,200 | −5% | Adequate |
| Jun 12, 2023 | $3,000–5,200 | $3,600–4,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Jun 5, 2023 | $3,300–5,200 | $3,600–4,400 | +5% | Adequate |
| May 29, 2023 | $3,000–5,000 | $3,400–4,200 | +12% | Adequate |
| May 22, 2023 | $2,800–4,600 | $3,000–3,800 | +10% | Adequate |
| May 15, 2023 | $2,600–4,400 | $2,800–3,400 | +3% | Slight Shortage |
| May 8, 2023 | $2,600–4,200 | $2,800–3,200 | 0% | Slight Shortage |
| May 1, 2023 | $2,600–4,200 | $2,800–3,200 | +11% | Slight Shortage |
| Apr 24, 2023 | $2,400–4,200 | $2,400–3,000 | — | Adequate |
| Dec 26, 2022 | $2,600–5,000 | $3,600–4,100 | 0% | Adequate |
| Dec 19, 2022 | $2,600–5,000 | $3,600–4,100 | — | Adequate |
| Dec 12, 2022 | $2,600–4,500 | $3,400–3,900 | +1% | Adequate |
| Dec 5, 2022 | $2,500–4,400 | $3,300–3,900 | −5% | Slight Surplus |
| Nov 28, 2022 | $2,600–4,600 | $3,500–4,100 | — | Adequate |
| Nov 21, 2022 | $2,600–4,600 | $3,500–4,100 | +3% | Adequate |
| Nov 14, 2022 | $2,400–4,500 | $3,300–4,100 | 0% | Adequate |
| Nov 7, 2022 | $2,400–4,500 | $3,300–4,100 | −3% | Adequate |
| Oct 31, 2022 | $2,400–4,500 | $3,400–4,200 | −3% | Adequate |
| Oct 24, 2022 | $2,400–4,500 | $3,600–4,200 | 0% | Adequate |
| Oct 17, 2022 | $2,400–4,500 | $3,600–4,200 | −4% | Adequate |
| Oct 10, 2022 | $3,400–4,500 | $3,900–4,200 | +1% | Adequate |
| Oct 3, 2022 | $3,400–4,500 | $3,800–4,200 | −16% | Adequate |
| Sep 26, 2022 | $3,600–5,800 | $4,600–4,900 | +1% | Adequate |
| Sep 19, 2022 | $3,600–5,800 | $4,500–4,900 | −4% | Adequate |
| Sep 12, 2022 | $4,000–6,000 | $4,700–5,100 | +4% | Adequate |
| Sep 5, 2022 | $3,800–5,800 | $4,500–4,900 | 0% | Adequate |
| Aug 29, 2022 | $3,800–5,800 | $4,500–4,900 | 0% | Adequate |
| Aug 22, 2022 | $3,800–5,800 | $4,500–4,900 | 0% | Adequate |
| Aug 15, 2022 | $3,800–5,800 | $4,500–4,900 | −5% | Adequate |
| Aug 8, 2022 | $4,000–6,600 | $4,700–5,200 | −2% | Adequate |
| Aug 1, 2022 | $4,000–6,400 | $4,800–5,300 | −2% | Adequate |
| Jul 25, 2022 | $4,200–6,600 | $4,900–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Jul 18, 2022 | $4,200–6,600 | $4,900–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
| Jul 11, 2022 | $4,200–6,600 | $4,900–5,400 | +1% | Adequate |
| Jul 4, 2022 | $4,200–6,600 | $4,800–5,400 | +2% | Adequate |
| Jun 27, 2022 | $4,000–6,400 | $4,800–5,200 | −7% | Adequate |
| Jun 20, 2022 | $4,500–6,800 | $5,100–5,600 | −2% | Adequate |
| Jun 13, 2022 | $5,000–6,800 | $5,200–5,700 | +7% | Adequate |
| Jun 6, 2022 | $3,800–6,600 | $4,900–5,300 | −1% | Adequate |
| May 30, 2022 | $4,200–6,600 | $4,900–5,400 | 0% | Adequate |
Into Seattle this week Cheapest first
| From | Range |
|---|---|
| Yakima & Wenatchee, WA | $1,100–1,800 |
| South & Central CA | $3,800–4,900 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $5,040–5,395 |
| Imperial Valley & Yuma | $6,730–6,980 |
From Salinas, CA this week Cheapest first
| To | Range | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $6,810–7,130 | +33% |
| Baltimore | $10,300–10,700 | +12% |
| Philadelphia | $10,300–10,700 | 0% |
| New York | $12,130–12,835 | −6% |
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 “SALINAS-WATSONVILLE CALIFORNIA”. 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.