Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Austin, TX to Santa Cruz, CA step deck rate

$5,514step deck

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $3.19
Distance: 1,730 mi
Typical range: $4,632–$6,396
Transit: 4 days

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

Austin to Santa Cruz price history

3 months: +8.9%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,769
Fuel: $1,745
All-in estimate: $5,514

Return trip

Santa Cruz → Austin$8,098

This direction runs 32% below the return trip. Leaving TX prices below the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Austin to Santa Cruz by truck type

Estimated cost from Austin, TX to Santa Cruz, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,214	$2.44	$3,751 – $4,678
53' refrigerated	$5,021	$2.90	$4,368 – $5,673
48' flatbed	$5,065	$2.93	$4,356 – $5,774
Step deck	$5,514	$3.19	$4,632 – $6,396
Power only	$3,739	$2.16	$3,253 – $4,225
Hotshot	$2,822	$1.63	$2,343 – $3,302
26' box truck	$2,760	$1.60	$2,346 – $3,174
Sprinter van	$1,686	$0.97	$1,416 – $1,955

Live market check

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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 Santa Cruz

Step deck lanes into Santa Cruz, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,032 mi	$9,613	$3.17	$8,075 – $11,151	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	340 mi	$2,466	$7.25	$2,072 – $2,861	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,185 mi	$8,649	$3.96	$7,265 – $10,032	5 d
Houston, TX	1,899 mi	$5,973	$3.15	$5,017 – $6,929	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	717 mi	$2,253	$3.14	$1,893 – $2,613	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,969 mi	$8,375	$2.82	$7,035 – $9,715	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,711 mi	$5,462	$3.19	$4,588 – $6,336	4 d
San Diego, CA	471 mi	$2,972	$6.31	$2,496 – $3,447	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Austin, TX to Santa Cruz, CA?

A Step deck from Austin, TX to Santa Cruz, CA is estimated at $5,514 all-in in October 2026, or $3.19 a mile over about 1,730 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,632 and $6,396.

How far is Austin, TX from Santa Cruz, CA by truck?

About 1,730 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 $1,745 of the $5,514 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,769 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Santa Cruz, CA to Austin, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,098, which makes Austin, TX to Santa Cruz, CA 32% cheaper. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Figures are estimates for a standard full load. Get a firm quote for this lane →