Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Ames, IA to Los Angeles, CA step deck rate

$6,423step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $3.75
Distance: 1,713 mi
Typical range: $5,395–$7,451
Transit: 4 days

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

Ames to Los Angeles price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,696
Fuel: $1,727
All-in estimate: $6,423

Return trip

Los Angeles → Ames$7,809

This direction runs 18% below the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Ames to Los Angeles by truck type

Estimated cost from Ames, IA to Los Angeles, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,909	$2.87	$4,369 – $5,449
53' refrigerated	$5,848	$3.41	$5,087 – $6,608
48' flatbed	$5,900	$3.44	$5,074 – $6,726
Step deck	$6,423	$3.75	$5,395 – $7,451
Power only	$4,354	$2.54	$3,788 – $4,920
Hotshot	$3,287	$1.92	$2,728 – $3,846
26' box truck	$3,214	$1.88	$2,732 – $3,696
Sprinter van	$1,963	$1.15	$1,649 – $2,278

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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
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
Dallas, TX	780 mi	$3,563	$4.57	$2,993 – $4,134	2 d

More lanes into Los Angeles

Step deck lanes into Los Angeles, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,902 mi	$9,238	$3.18	$7,760 – $10,716	7 d
Chicago, IL	2,063 mi	$8,224	$3.99	$6,908 – $9,540	5 d
Houston, TX	1,627 mi	$5,234	$3.22	$4,396 – $6,071	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	430 mi	$1,617	$3.76	$1,358 – $1,875	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,831 mi	$8,021	$2.83	$6,738 – $9,305	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,425 mi	$4,685	$3.29	$3,935 – $5,435	4 d
San Diego, CA	131 mi	$1,660	$12.67	$1,394 – $1,926	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,474 mi	$4,818	$3.27	$4,047 – $5,589	4 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Ames, IA to Los Angeles, CA?

A Step deck from Ames, IA to Los Angeles, CA is estimated at $6,423 all-in in October 2026, or $3.75 a mile over about 1,713 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,395 and $7,451.

How far is Ames, IA from Los Angeles, CA by truck?

About 1,713 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 4 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,727 of the $6,423 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,696 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Los Angeles, CA to Ames, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,809, which makes Ames, IA to Los Angeles, CA 18% cheaper. 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