Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Carmel, IN to Houston, TX step deck rate

$4,620step deck

+3.2% from last month

Per mile: $4.47
Distance: 1,033 mi
Typical range: $3,880–$5,359
Transit: 3 days

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

Carmel to Houston price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,578
Fuel: $1,042
All-in estimate: $4,620

Return trip

Houston → Carmel$3,710

This direction runs 25% above the return trip. Leaving IN prices above the national average and arriving in TX prices below it.

Carmel to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Carmel, IN to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,490	$3.38	$3,106 – $3,874
53' refrigerated	$4,160	$4.03	$3,619 – $4,701
48' flatbed	$4,236	$4.10	$3,643 – $4,829
Step deck	$4,620	$4.47	$3,880 – $5,359
Power only	$3,072	$2.97	$2,673 – $3,471
Hotshot	$2,318	$2.24	$1,924 – $2,712
26' box truck	$2,276	$2.20	$1,934 – $2,617
Sprinter van	$1,396	$1.35	$1,173 – $1,619

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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 Carmel

Step deck lanes from Carmel, IN
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	761 mi	$4,768	$6.27	$4,005 – $5,531	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,144 mi	$8,190	$3.82	$6,880 – $9,501	5 d
Chicago, IL	180 mi	$1,582	$8.79	$1,329 – $1,835	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,765 mi	$7,634	$4.33	$6,412 – $8,855	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	688 mi	$4,224	$6.14	$3,548 – $4,900	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,190 mi	$5,164	$4.34	$4,338 – $5,990	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,104 mi	$8,056	$3.83	$6,767 – $9,345	5 d
Dallas, TX	909 mi	$4,190	$4.61	$3,519 – $4,860	2 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 Carmel, IN to Houston, TX?

A Step deck from Carmel, IN to Houston, TX is estimated at $4,620 all-in in October 2026, or $4.47 a mile over about 1,033 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,880 and $5,359.

How far is Carmel, IN from Houston, TX by truck?

About 1,033 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 $1,042 of the $4,620 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,578 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to Carmel, IN?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,710, which makes Carmel, IN to Houston, TX 25% more expensive. 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 →