Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Charlotte, NC to Ames, IA flatbed rate

$3,055flatbed

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.10
Distance: 985 mi
Typical range: $2,627–$3,483
Transit: 3 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Charlotte to Ames price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,093
Fuel: $962
All-in estimate: $3,055

Return trip

Ames → Charlotte$4,498

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

Charlotte to Ames by truck type

Estimated cost from Charlotte, NC to Ames, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,514	$2.55	$2,238 – $2,791
53' refrigerated	$2,997	$3.04	$2,608 – $3,387
48' flatbed	$3,055	$3.10	$2,627 – $3,483
Step deck	$3,332	$3.38	$2,799 – $3,865
Power only	$2,211	$2.24	$1,924 – $2,499
Hotshot	$1,668	$1.69	$1,385 – $1,952
26' box truck	$1,639	$1.66	$1,393 – $1,885
Sprinter van	$1,006	$1.02	$845 – $1,167

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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 Charlotte

48' flatbed lanes from Charlotte, NC
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	627 mi	$2,932	$4.68	$2,522 – $3,343	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,508 mi	$6,659	$2.65	$5,726 – $7,591	6 d
Chicago, IL	695 mi	$2,311	$3.33	$1,988 – $2,635	2 d
Houston, TX	1,093 mi	$3,407	$3.12	$2,930 – $3,884	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,099 mi	$6,273	$2.99	$5,395 – $7,151	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	537 mi	$2,517	$4.69	$2,164 – $2,869	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,303 mi	$3,924	$3.01	$3,374 – $4,473	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,448 mi	$6,516	$2.66	$5,604 – $7,428	6 d

More lanes into Ames

48' flatbed lanes into Ames, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,207 mi	$4,012	$3.32	$3,450 – $4,573	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,713 mi	$7,174	$4.19	$6,169 – $8,178	4 d
Chicago, IL	360 mi	$2,105	$5.85	$1,811 – $2,400	1 d
Houston, TX	1,005 mi	$3,268	$3.25	$2,811 – $3,726	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,371 mi	$3,419	$2.49	$2,941 – $3,898	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,147 mi	$3,420	$2.98	$2,941 – $3,899	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,074 mi	$3,442	$3.21	$2,960 – $3,924	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,690 mi	$7,091	$4.20	$6,099 – $8,084	4 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Charlotte, NC to Ames, IA?

A 48' flatbed from Charlotte, NC to Ames, IA is estimated at $3,055 all-in in October 2026, or $3.10 a mile over about 985 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,627 and $3,483.

How far is Charlotte, NC from Ames, IA by truck?

About 985 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 $962 of the $3,055 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,093 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Ames, IA to Charlotte, NC?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,498, which makes Charlotte, NC to Ames, IA 32% 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