Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Austin, TX to Ames, IA step deck rate

$3,535step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $3.56
Distance: 994 mi
Typical range: $2,969–$4,100
Transit: 3 days

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

Austin to Ames price history

3 months: +8.9%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,533
Fuel: $1,002
All-in estimate: $3,535

Return trip

Ames → Austin$4,270

This direction runs 17% below the return trip. Leaving TX prices below the national average and arriving in IA prices below it.

Austin to Ames by truck type

Estimated cost from Austin, TX to Ames, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,668	$2.68	$2,374 – $2,961
53' refrigerated	$3,180	$3.20	$2,767 – $3,594
48' flatbed	$3,241	$3.26	$2,787 – $3,694
Step deck	$3,535	$3.56	$2,969 – $4,100
Power only	$2,347	$2.36	$2,041 – $2,652
Hotshot	$1,770	$1.78	$1,470 – $2,071
26' box truck	$1,739	$1.75	$1,478 – $2,000
Sprinter van	$1,067	$1.07	$896 – $1,238

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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 Austin

Step deck lanes from Austin, TX
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,785 mi	$7,598	$4.26	$6,382 – $8,814	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,455 mi	$4,767	$3.28	$4,004 – $5,529	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,149 mi	$3,874	$3.37	$3,254 – $4,494	3 d
Houston, TX	172 mi	$1,325	$7.70	$1,113 – $1,536	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,026 mi	$3,973	$3.87	$3,337 – $4,608	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,696 mi	$6,920	$4.08	$5,813 – $8,027	4 d
San Antonio, TX	87 mi	$1,086	$12.48	$912 – $1,259	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,360 mi	$4,508	$3.31	$3,787 – $5,230	3 d

More lanes into Ames

Step deck lanes into Ames, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,207 mi	$4,372	$3.62	$3,673 – $5,072	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,713 mi	$7,809	$4.56	$6,560 – $9,059	4 d
Chicago, IL	360 mi	$2,309	$6.41	$1,939 – $2,678	1 d
Houston, TX	1,005 mi	$3,565	$3.55	$2,994 – $4,135	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,371 mi	$3,725	$2.72	$3,129 – $4,321	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,147 mi	$3,728	$3.25	$3,132 – $4,325	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,074 mi	$3,753	$3.49	$3,153 – $4,354	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,690 mi	$7,720	$4.57	$6,485 – $8,955	4 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Austin, TX to Ames, IA is estimated at $3,535 all-in in October 2026, or $3.56 a mile over about 994 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,969 and $4,100.

How far is Austin, TX from Ames, IA 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 $3,535 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,533 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,270, which makes Austin, TX to Ames, IA 17% 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