I-78 W • Lehigh Valley 3PL corridor
New York to Allentown — Where NYC's Inventory Actually Lives
The route is short — 90 miles of I-78 West, roughly two hours. Pickups originate everywhere from Manhattan to <a href="/locations/jersey-city">Jersey City</a> to <a href="/locations/edison">Edison</a>, NJ. The drops are mostly off Exit 57 (downtown Allentown), Exit 60 (Hellertown / Bethlehem), Exit 67 (Easton / Lafayette College), or further north into the Hazleton fulfillment cluster off I-81. Plus the manufacturing belt — Mack Trucks in Macungie, B. Braun Medical in Bethlehem, Crayola in Easton, Air Products in Trexlertown.
Why this corridor matters to NYC business
3PL and distribution — the route's reason for existing
The Lehigh Valley has more square footage of warehouse space than almost any region on the East Coast. Amazon's fulfillment cluster includes ABE1 and ABE2 in Bethlehem, ABE3 in Breinigsville, MDT1 and HZL1 in Hazleton. FedEx Ground operates a major hub. UPS, FedEx Freight, XPO Logistics, ODW Logistics, and dozens of mid-tier 3PLs run from the Route 100 / I-78 / I-81 industrial corridor. Warehouse delivery for urgent inventory and 3PL freight handoffs is the daily work on this route.
Manufacturing belt
Mack Trucks Macungie assembly plant builds the Class 8 trucks. B. Braun Medical operates a major manufacturing campus in Bethlehem. Crayola has been in Easton since 1976. Air Products HQ is in Trexlertown. Olympus America is in Center Valley. Manufacturing freight, components, and tooling between NYC suppliers and Lehigh Valley plants moves on tight production schedules.
E-commerce and DTC brands
NYC-based DTC brands warehouse a lot of inventory in the Lehigh Valley because last-mile to NYC ZIPs is fast and rents are a fraction of NJ. We move samples, returns, photoshoot inventory, and urgent restocks between NYC HQs and Lehigh Valley fulfillment. Pattern is most active for fashion, beauty, and home brands.
Lehigh Valley healthcare
Lehigh Valley Health Network and St. Luke's University Health Network — two competing major hospital systems plus the B. Braun Medical campus generate medical courier demand. Specimens, biologics, and pharmaceutical materials between NYC and the Lehigh Valley.
Print and direct mail
Allentown has a deep printing and direct-mail base built up over decades. Print and deliver service for marketing collateral, trade-show materials, and event signage.
Cargo Vans
Documents & small- to medium-sized deliveries
Sprinter Vans
Medium to large shipments requiring controlled handling
High-Roof Vans
High-roof capacity for bulky or time-critical freight
Box Trucks
Palletized freight and commercial distribution runs
Where we deliver in the Lehigh Valley
The corridor breaks into a few delivery zones:
Allentown — Downtown, the Route 22 corridor, the Hamilton Boulevard business parks
Bethlehem — Including SteelStacks, Lehigh University, the Sands hospitality complex, plus B. Braun and the Bethlehem industrial parks
Easton — Crayola, Lafayette College, the riverfront district
Manufacturing belt — Macungie (Mack Trucks), Trexlertown (Air Products), Breinigsville (Amazon ABE3)
Hazleton fulfillment cluster — Amazon HZL1, MDT1, plus surrounding 3PLs (about 30 minutes north of Allentown)
NYC pickup zones — Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, plus Northern NJ — Jersey City, Newark, Elizabeth, Edison
Continuing west — From Allentown, I-78 to Harrisburg; or south on Route 309 to Philadelphia
Multi-stop runs across multiple Lehigh Valley DCs in one trip is a common pattern. Get a quote.
NYC to Allentown pricing
Service | Speed | Starting Rate |
|---|---|---|
Same-Day (car / documents) | 2 - 2.5 hrs | From $285 |
Same-Day (cargo van) | 2.5 - 3 hrs | From $425 |
Same-Day (box truck) | 3 - 3.5 hrs | From $650 |
Round-Trip Service | 4.5 - 5.5 hrs round trip | Custom quote |
Get an instant quote or call 877-709-2711.
All deliveries include cargo insurance, GPS tracking, and proof of delivery. Contact us for custom routing or recurring service.
