Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Carlsbad, CA to Houston, TX step deck rate

$7,356step deck

+3.2% from last month

Per mile: $4.76
Distance: 1,544 mi
Typical range: $6,179–$8,533
Transit: 4 days

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

Carlsbad to Houston price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,799
Fuel: $1,557
All-in estimate: $7,356

Return trip

Houston → Carlsbad$5,008

This direction runs 47% above the return trip. Leaving CA prices above the national average and arriving in TX prices below it.

Carlsbad to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Carlsbad, CA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,610	$3.63	$4,993 – $6,227
53' refrigerated	$6,684	$4.33	$5,815 – $7,553
48' flatbed	$6,755	$4.37	$5,809 – $7,701
Step deck	$7,356	$4.76	$6,179 – $8,533
Power only	$4,969	$3.22	$4,323 – $5,615
Hotshot	$3,751	$2.43	$3,113 – $4,389
26' box truck	$3,671	$2.38	$3,120 – $4,221
Sprinter van	$2,244	$1.45	$1,885 – $2,603

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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 Carlsbad

Step deck lanes from Carlsbad, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,862 mi	$16,362	$5.72	$13,744 – $18,980	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	105 mi	$1,560	$14.85	$1,310 – $1,809	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,030 mi	$8,847	$4.36	$7,432 – $10,263	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	356 mi	$2,789	$7.83	$2,343 – $3,235	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,790 mi	$15,212	$5.45	$12,778 – $17,646	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,339 mi	$6,538	$4.88	$5,492 – $7,584	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,402 mi	$6,789	$4.84	$5,703 – $7,875	3 d
Jacksonville, FL	2,469 mi	$16,089	$6.52	$13,515 – $18,663	6 d

More lanes into Houston

Step deck lanes into Houston, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$5,893	$3.52	$4,950 – $6,836	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$7,687	$4.72	$6,457 – $8,917	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$5,061	$4.58	$4,251 – $5,870	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$3,434	$2.87	$2,884 – $3,983	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$4,995	$3.15	$4,196 – $5,794	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,471	$6.57	$1,235 – $1,706	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$7,308	$4.77	$6,139 – $8,477	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,580	$6.01	$1,327 – $1,833	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Carlsbad, CA to Houston, TX?

A Step deck from Carlsbad, CA to Houston, TX is estimated at $7,356 all-in in October 2026, or $4.76 a mile over about 1,544 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,179 and $8,533.

How far is Carlsbad, CA from Houston, TX by truck?

About 1,544 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 $1,557 of the $7,356 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,799 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to Carlsbad, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,008, which makes Carlsbad, CA to Houston, TX 47% more expensive. 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