Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Charlotte, NC to Palo Alto, CA flatbed rate

$7,113flatbed

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $2.64
Distance: 2,699 mi
Typical range: $6,117–$8,108
Transit: 6 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Charlotte to Palo Alto price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.9%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,476
Fuel: $2,637
All-in estimate: $7,113

Return trip

Palo Alto → Charlotte$12,733

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

Charlotte to Palo Alto by truck type

Estimated cost from Charlotte, NC to Palo Alto, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,954	$2.21	$5,299 – $6,608
53' refrigerated	$7,090	$2.63	$6,168 – $8,012
48' flatbed	$7,113	$2.64	$6,117 – $8,108
Step deck	$7,734	$2.87	$6,496 – $8,971
Power only	$5,307	$1.97	$4,617 – $5,997
Hotshot	$4,007	$1.48	$3,326 – $4,688
26' box truck	$3,909	$1.45	$3,322 – $4,495
Sprinter van	$2,381	$0.88	$2,000 – $2,762

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 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 Palo Alto

48' flatbed lanes into Palo Alto, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,026 mi	$8,827	$2.92	$7,591 – $10,063	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	370 mi	$2,355	$6.36	$2,025 – $2,685	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,179 mi	$7,931	$3.64	$6,821 – $9,041	5 d
Houston, TX	1,912 mi	$5,521	$2.89	$4,748 – $6,294	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	736 mi	$2,101	$2.86	$1,807 – $2,396	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,964 mi	$7,692	$2.60	$6,615 – $8,769	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,726 mi	$5,055	$2.93	$4,347 – $5,763	4 d
San Diego, CA	501 mi	$2,821	$5.63	$2,426 – $3,216	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Charlotte, NC to Palo Alto, CA?

A 48' flatbed from Charlotte, NC to Palo Alto, CA is estimated at $7,113 all-in in October 2026, or $2.64 a mile over about 2,699 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,117 and $8,108.

How far is Charlotte, NC from Palo Alto, CA by truck?

About 2,699 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 $2,637 of the $7,113 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,476 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Palo Alto, CA to Charlotte, NC?

The reverse direction is estimated at $12,733, which makes Charlotte, NC to Palo Alto, CA 44% 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 →