Recently, we finished transportation of 2026 Nissan Pathfinder from Orange, CA to Appling, GA. This transportation route was 2,298 miles on open trailer and was performed for $1,975.00, that means, that per mile price was $0.86.
Pathfinder was roadworthy during pickup. What made this shipment worth being described is the fact, that we recently transported three motorcycles via the same route, from Santa Ana to the same location, across 2,297 miles. Just one mile of difference and the same period of time. What we have here is something that this industry doesn’t provide often – comparable data.
The route
The distance of 2,298 miles starts from Orange to Appling and cuts across the southern part of the country between Orange County and the Georgia piedmont.
The drive from Orange starts off CA-55 then takes the I-10 east towards the Los Angeles basin and then climbs up past Palm Springs before crossing the Colorado River at Blythe.
The I-10 will be the main highway in this case. It goes through Phoenix and Tucson then proceeds to Las Cruces and to El Paso in Texas. The Texas leg of the journey covers Fort Stockton and San Antonio as well as Houston and into Louisiana along the Gulf Coast to Mobile, Alabama.
From there, the journey heads north through I-65 to Montgomery, then I-85 north-east to Atlanta and then I-20 east to Augusta, while Appling is northwest of Augusta in Columbia County.
The same lane, two very different loads
Here’s the comparison between the two deliveries. Same hallway; a difference of a mile only in the distance.
Three-row SUV, open trailer: $1,975.00 or $0.86 per mile.
Three motorcycles, enclosed trailer: $3,200.00 or $1.39 per mile for the payload.
From the outset the motorcycles cost significantly more. Consider it on a per vehicle basis and the scenario is reversed. Cost to move each of the three bikes is about $1,067 or 46 cents per motorcycle per mile compared to 86 cents for the SUV.
Deck space is determining the prices here. Space needed for a motorcycle is a part of that required for one car space. Three motorcycles use even lesser deck space than one SUV.
Type of trailer makes a difference too. The bikes are delivered in an enclosed trailer. Every motorcycle that we deliver is delivered in an enclosed trailer. If the SUV had been delivered in the enclosed trailer and the bikes in an open trailer, the figures would change.
“Per mile” comparison is relative only within a single type of product. This is the important takeaway. “Per mile” calculation is a good metric for comparing two sedans, or two bikes, or two enclosed loads. For comparing products that don’t belong to the same category, “per mile” is practically worthless – two shipping orders from this page will serve better as an example of that.
What customers actually pay is the total amount. Moving one SUV cross-country cost $1,975.00. Moving three motorcycles for the same distance was $3,200.00. Both are fairly priced, and neither can be compared “per mile”.
See also: Shipping Three Motorcycles from Santa Ana, CA to Appling, GA
What $0.86 per mile reflects
Behind this number lie two factors.
The first factor is distance. Costs related to pickup and loading are roughly equal regardless of the distance for carriers, as well as the costs of securing, coordinating, and delivering, which do not scale with the distance involved. The costs per mile are relatively low when distributed over the 2,298-mile distance.
Vehicle size makes the cost somewhat higher. The Pathfinder is a three-row SUV, which reaches nearly 200 inches in length, making its requirements for the deck larger than that of the sedan, but not that of the full-size SUV or truck.
Open transport and the route make the cost lower. I-10 along the bottom border is one of the busiest routes for freight transportation in the country, and Southern California to Georgia is a stable lane.
Open transport
The Pathfinder was loaded onto an open trailer, which is common practice even when transporting a brand-new vehicle.
This vehicle is a contemporary production family sport utility vehicle with factory paint protection. Enclosed transport is reserved for those vehicles where a rock chip will be a significant financial expense, and for 2,298 miles the premium paid for enclosing a vehicle like this that doesn’t need it would be substantial.
Ground clearance was irrelevant. The Pathfinder is a tall vehicle, so ramp angles were not a consideration at either end. Soft tie-downs were employed to secure the tires without resorting to chains on the suspension.
Transport summary
- Origin: Orange, CA 92868
- Destination: Appling, GA 30802
- Distance: 2,298 miles
- Service cost: $1,975.00
- Cost per mile: $0.86
- Vehicle: 2026 Nissan Pathfinder
- Condition: Operable
- Trailer type: Open
- Route: Orange, CA → CA-55 → I-10 east through Palm Springs, Blythe, Phoenix and Tucson → Las Cruces, NM → El Paso and San Antonio, TX → Houston → Baton Rouge, LA → Mobile, AL → I-65 north to Montgomery → I-85 northeast to Atlanta, GA → I-20 east to Augusta → Appling, GA
