Lane · VAN · Oct 2026

Ames, IA to San Jose, CA freight rate

$5,131dry van

+5.6% from last month

Per mile: $2.85
Distance: 1,802 mi
Typical range: $4,566–$5,695
Transit: 4 days

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Dry van · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Ames to San Jose price history

3 months: +14.0%
1 year: +25.0%
5 years: +33.2%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,474
Fuel: $1,657
All-in estimate: $5,131

Return trip

San Jose → Ames$6,238

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 Jose by truck type

Estimated cost from Ames, IA to San Jose, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,131	$2.85	$4,566 – $5,695
53' refrigerated	$6,112	$3.39	$5,317 – $6,906
48' flatbed	$6,162	$3.42	$5,300 – $7,025
Step deck	$6,707	$3.72	$5,634 – $7,780
Power only	$4,554	$2.53	$3,962 – $5,146
Hotshot	$3,438	$1.91	$2,853 – $4,022
26' box truck	$3,361	$1.86	$2,857 – $3,865
Sprinter van	$2,052	$1.14	$1,724 – $2,381

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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

53' dry van lanes from Ames, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,207 mi	$4,893	$4.05	$4,354 – $5,431	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,713 mi	$4,909	$2.87	$4,369 – $5,449	4 d
Chicago, IL	360 mi	$1,511	$4.20	$1,345 – $1,677	1 d
Houston, TX	1,005 mi	$3,251	$3.23	$2,894 – $3,609	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,371 mi	$4,474	$3.26	$3,982 – $4,966	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,147 mi	$4,464	$3.89	$3,973 – $4,955	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,074 mi	$3,429	$3.19	$3,052 – $3,806	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,690 mi	$4,851	$2.87	$4,318 – $5,385	4 d

More lanes into San Jose

53' dry van lanes into San Jose, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,009 mi	$7,359	$2.45	$6,550 – $8,169	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	350 mi	$1,825	$5.21	$1,624 – $2,025	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,162 mi	$6,575	$3.04	$5,852 – $7,298	5 d
Houston, TX	1,890 mi	$4,554	$2.41	$4,053 – $5,055	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	713 mi	$1,677	$2.35	$1,493 – $1,862	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,946 mi	$6,409	$2.18	$5,704 – $7,114	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,704 mi	$4,159	$2.44	$3,702 – $4,617	4 d
San Diego, CA	480 mi	$2,216	$4.62	$1,973 – $2,460	1 d

About this lane

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

A 53' dry van from Ames, IA to San Jose, CA is estimated at $5,131 all-in in October 2026, or $2.85 a mile over about 1,802 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,566 and $5,695.

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

About 1,802 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 $1,657 of the $5,131 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,474 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $6,238, which makes Ames, IA to San Jose, 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