Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Ames, IA to Charlotte, NC step deck rate

$4,907step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $4.98
Distance: 985 mi
Typical range: $4,122–$5,692
Transit: 3 days

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

Ames to Charlotte price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,914
Fuel: $993
All-in estimate: $4,907

Return trip

Charlotte → Ames$3,332

This direction runs 47% above the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in NC prices above it.

Ames to Charlotte by truck type

Estimated cost from Ames, IA to Charlotte, NC by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,702	$3.76	$3,295 – $4,109
53' refrigerated	$4,413	$4.48	$3,840 – $4,987
48' flatbed	$4,498	$4.57	$3,868 – $5,128
Step deck	$4,907	$4.98	$4,122 – $5,692
Power only	$3,256	$3.31	$2,833 – $3,679
Hotshot	$2,457	$2.49	$2,039 – $2,874
26' box truck	$2,413	$2.45	$2,051 – $2,775
Sprinter van	$1,481	$1.50	$1,244 – $1,718

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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 Charlotte

Step deck lanes into Charlotte, NC
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	627 mi	$3,199	$5.10	$2,687 – $3,711	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,508 mi	$12,963	$5.17	$10,889 – $15,037	6 d
Chicago, IL	695 mi	$4,143	$5.96	$3,480 – $4,806	2 d
Houston, TX	1,093 mi	$4,528	$4.14	$3,803 – $5,252	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,099 mi	$6,364	$3.03	$5,346 – $7,382	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	537 mi	$2,565	$4.78	$2,155 – $2,975	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,303 mi	$5,211	$4.00	$4,377 – $6,045	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,448 mi	$12,686	$5.18	$10,656 – $14,715	6 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Ames, IA to Charlotte, NC?

A Step deck from Ames, IA to Charlotte, NC is estimated at $4,907 all-in in October 2026, or $4.98 a mile over about 985 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,122 and $5,692.

How far is Ames, IA from Charlotte, NC by truck?

About 985 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 $993 of the $4,907 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,914 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Charlotte, NC to Ames, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,332, which makes Ames, IA to Charlotte, NC 47% 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