Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Ames, IA to Austin, TX step deck rate

$4,270step deck

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $4.30
Distance: 994 mi
Typical range: $3,587–$4,953
Transit: 3 days

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Step deck · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Ames to Austin price history

3 months: +8.9%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,268
Fuel: $1,002
All-in estimate: $4,270

Return trip

Austin → Ames$3,535

This direction runs 21% above the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in TX prices below it.

Ames to Austin by truck type

Estimated cost from Ames, IA to Austin, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,223	$3.24	$2,868 – $3,577
53' refrigerated	$3,842	$3.86	$3,342 – $4,341
48' flatbed	$3,915	$3.94	$3,367 – $4,463
Step deck	$4,270	$4.30	$3,587 – $4,953
Power only	$2,835	$2.85	$2,466 – $3,203
Hotshot	$2,139	$2.15	$1,775 – $2,502
26' box truck	$2,101	$2.11	$1,786 – $2,416
Sprinter van	$1,289	$1.30	$1,083 – $1,495

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The index is an estimate. For a price you can act on, ask connected freight providers for a live 53' dry van rate, or send the load details and get quoted for any truck type.

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More lanes from Ames

Step deck lanes from Ames, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,207 mi	$6,451	$5.34	$5,418 – $7,483	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,713 mi	$6,423	$3.75	$5,395 – $7,451	4 d
Chicago, IL	360 mi	$2,072	$5.76	$1,740 – $2,403	1 d
Houston, TX	1,005 mi	$4,306	$4.28	$3,617 – $4,995	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,371 mi	$5,882	$4.29	$4,941 – $6,823	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,147 mi	$5,892	$5.14	$4,950 – $6,835	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,074 mi	$4,534	$4.22	$3,809 – $5,260	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,690 mi	$6,350	$3.76	$5,334 – $7,366	4 d

More lanes into Austin

Step deck lanes into Austin, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,785 mi	$6,221	$3.49	$5,226 – $7,217	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,455 mi	$7,001	$4.81	$5,880 – $8,121	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,149 mi	$5,215	$4.54	$4,381 – $6,050	3 d
Houston, TX	172 mi	$1,325	$7.70	$1,113 – $1,536	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,026 mi	$3,039	$2.96	$2,553 – $3,525	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,696 mi	$5,289	$3.12	$4,443 – $6,135	4 d
San Antonio, TX	87 mi	$1,086	$12.48	$912 – $1,259	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,360 mi	$6,621	$4.87	$5,562 – $7,681	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Ames, IA to Austin, TX?

A Step deck from Ames, IA to Austin, TX is estimated at $4,270 all-in in October 2026, or $4.30 a mile over about 994 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,587 and $4,953.

How far is Ames, IA from Austin, TX by truck?

About 994 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 3 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,002 of the $4,270 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,268 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Austin, TX to Ames, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,535, which makes Ames, IA to Austin, TX 21% more expensive. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Lane history applies the current origin and destination adjustments to the national series back to December 2003. Methodology