Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
41 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Bedford, MA
Wikimedia Commons
Rockland, MA
Wikimedia Commons
If you are looking for a straightforward trip through the Northeast, the 41-mile journey from New Bedford to Rockland, MA, is a manageable excursion. Expect the drive to take roughly 1 hour and 2 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of approximately $7, it is an economical way to travel between these two Massachusetts locations. Because the route relies entirely on local roads rather than interstates, you should plan for a steady pace rather than high-speed highway travel. This drive is ideal if you prefer shorter, direct travel over long-haul transit.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway | 15.8 mi | 18m |
| Amvets Highway | 6.4 mi | 7m |
| Bedford Street | 6.2 mi | 11m |
| Pleasant Street | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| Purchase Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Centre Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Broad Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Washington Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between New Bedford, MA and Rockland, MA.
Start on Pleasant Street
Continue on Purchase Street
Continue on Nauset Street
At end of road, turn right onto Hathaway Road
Continue on Mount Pleasant Street
Turn right onto Kings Highway
Take the ramp
Merge onto MA 140
Take the exit
Merge onto MA 24
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto MA 104
At end of road, turn left onto MA 104
Turn left onto MA 18; MA 28; MA 104
Keep slight right at fork onto MA 18
Continue on MA 18
Continue on MA 18
Turn straight onto Washington Street
Turn right onto MA 123
Continue on MA 123
Turn left onto Union Street
Turn left onto Reed Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from New Bedford, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 26.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto Hathaway Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Take the ramp toward MA 140 North: Taunton, Boston
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto MA 140 / Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MA 24 North: Boston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Take the exit toward MA 104: Bridgewater, Raynham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$6.56 one way
$13.12 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.43 | $7.16 | $14.31 |
| premium | $4.82 | $7.79 | $15.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.05 | $18.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
| Efficient EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.59 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.74 | $2.62 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in New Bedford on Sunday
Local time
6:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Rockland on Sunday
Local time
6:03 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this route utilizes surface streets like Purchase Street, Nauset Street, and Hathaway Road to navigate the landscape. You will spend 0% of your time on highways, meaning you should anticipate frequent turns and consistent traffic interactions. Because the entire 41-mile stretch is composed of local roads, the driving experience remains technical and requires your full attention throughout the hour-long duration.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in near Hathaway Road.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 41 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.3 miles (Hathaway Road): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.8 miles (MA 140 / Alfred Bessette Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between New Bedford, MA and Rockland, MA, road signs point toward Boston and Raynham.
Boston
Raynham
New Bedford is in Massachusetts on the southern coast. New Bedford's excellent harbor made it a natural fishing and whaling center. It was the world's premier whaling port in the 19th century, and, for a time, "the richest city in the world" and "the city that lit the world" because of whale oil production. New Bedford neighbor Acushnet is the birthplace of the Titleist golf ball.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 41 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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