Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Charlotte, NC to El Cajon, CA step deck rate

$7,055step deck

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $2.90
Distance: 2,436 mi
Typical range: $5,927–$8,184
Transit: 6 days

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

Charlotte to El Cajon price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,599
Fuel: $2,456
All-in estimate: $7,055

Return trip

El Cajon → Charlotte$12,630

This direction runs 44% below the return trip. Leaving NC prices below the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Charlotte to El Cajon by truck type

Estimated cost from Charlotte, NC to El Cajon, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,424	$2.23	$4,827 – $6,020
53' refrigerated	$6,459	$2.65	$5,620 – $7,299
48' flatbed	$6,487	$2.66	$5,579 – $7,396
Step deck	$7,055	$2.90	$5,927 – $8,184
Power only	$4,830	$1.98	$4,202 – $5,458
Hotshot	$3,647	$1.50	$3,027 – $4,267
26' box truck	$3,559	$1.46	$3,025 – $4,093
Sprinter van	$2,169	$0.89	$1,822 – $2,517

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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

Step deck lanes from Charlotte, NC
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	627 mi	$3,205	$5.11	$2,693 – $3,718	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,508 mi	$7,241	$2.89	$6,083 – $8,400	6 d
Chicago, IL	695 mi	$2,525	$3.63	$2,121 – $2,929	2 d
Houston, TX	1,093 mi	$3,715	$3.40	$3,120 – $4,309	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,099 mi	$6,825	$3.25	$5,733 – $7,916	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	537 mi	$2,753	$5.13	$2,313 – $3,194	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,303 mi	$4,275	$3.28	$3,591 – $4,959	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,448 mi	$7,086	$2.89	$5,953 – $8,220	6 d

More lanes into El Cajon

Step deck lanes into El Cajon, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,854 mi	$9,099	$3.19	$7,643 – $10,555	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	140 mi	$1,695	$12.10	$1,424 – $1,966	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,024 mi	$8,088	$4.00	$6,794 – $9,382	5 d
Houston, TX	1,520 mi	$4,943	$3.25	$4,152 – $5,734	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	338 mi	$1,413	$4.18	$1,187 – $1,639	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,780 mi	$7,891	$2.84	$6,628 – $9,153	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,313 mi	$4,381	$3.34	$3,680 – $5,082	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,382 mi	$4,568	$3.31	$3,837 – $5,299	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Charlotte, NC to El Cajon, CA?

A Step deck from Charlotte, NC to El Cajon, CA is estimated at $7,055 all-in in October 2026, or $2.90 a mile over about 2,436 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,927 and $8,184.

How far is Charlotte, NC from El Cajon, CA by truck?

About 2,436 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 6 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $2,456 of the $7,055 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,599 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from El Cajon, CA to Charlotte, NC?

The reverse direction is estimated at $12,630, which makes Charlotte, NC to El Cajon, CA 44% 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