Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Ames, IA to San Diego, CA step deck rate

$6,350step deck

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $3.76
Distance: 1,690 mi
Typical range: $5,334–$7,366
Transit: 4 days

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

Ames to San Diego price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,646
Fuel: $1,704
All-in estimate: $6,350

Return trip

San Diego → Ames$7,720

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

Ames to San Diego by truck type

Estimated cost from Ames, IA to San Diego, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,851	$2.87	$4,318 – $5,385
53' refrigerated	$5,779	$3.42	$5,028 – $6,531
48' flatbed	$5,833	$3.45	$5,016 – $6,649
Step deck	$6,350	$3.76	$5,334 – $7,366
Power only	$4,302	$2.55	$3,743 – $4,862
Hotshot	$3,248	$1.92	$2,696 – $3,800
26' box truck	$3,176	$1.88	$2,700 – $3,653
Sprinter van	$1,940	$1.15	$1,630 – $2,251

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

More lanes into San Diego

Step deck lanes into San Diego, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,864 mi	$9,128	$3.19	$7,668 – $10,589	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	131 mi	$1,660	$12.67	$1,394 – $1,926	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,034 mi	$8,123	$3.99	$6,823 – $9,423	5 d
Houston, TX	1,532 mi	$4,976	$3.25	$4,180 – $5,772	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	350 mi	$1,439	$4.11	$1,209 – $1,670	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,791 mi	$7,919	$2.84	$6,652 – $9,186	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,325 mi	$4,413	$3.33	$3,707 – $5,119	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,394 mi	$4,601	$3.30	$3,865 – $5,337	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Ames, IA to San Diego, CA?

A Step deck from Ames, IA to San Diego, CA is estimated at $6,350 all-in in October 2026, or $3.76 a mile over about 1,690 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,334 and $7,366.

How far is Ames, IA from San Diego, CA by truck?

About 1,690 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 $1,704 of the $6,350 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,646 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from San Diego, CA to Ames, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,720, which makes Ames, IA to San Diego, 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