Lane · HOT · Oct 2026

Charlotte, NC to Santa Cruz, CA hotshot rate

$4,005hotshot

+2.8% from last month

Per mile: $1.48
Distance: 2,697 mi
Typical range: $3,324–$4,685
Transit: 6 days

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Hotshot · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Charlotte to Santa Cruz price history

3 months: +8.0%
1 year: +18.4%
5 years: +24.4%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,319
Fuel: $1,686
All-in estimate: $4,005

Return trip

Santa Cruz → Charlotte$7,169

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

Charlotte to Santa Cruz by truck type

Estimated cost from Charlotte, NC to Santa Cruz, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,950	$2.21	$5,295 – $6,604
53' refrigerated	$7,085	$2.63	$6,164 – $8,006
48' flatbed	$7,108	$2.64	$6,113 – $8,103
Step deck	$7,729	$2.87	$6,492 – $8,965
Power only	$5,303	$1.97	$4,614 – $5,993
Hotshot	$4,005	$1.48	$3,324 – $4,685
26' box truck	$3,906	$1.45	$3,320 – $4,492
Sprinter van	$2,380	$0.88	$1,999 – $2,761

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

Hotshot lanes from Charlotte, NC
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	627 mi	$1,567	$2.50	$1,301 – $1,833	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,508 mi	$3,746	$1.49	$3,109 – $4,382	5 d
Chicago, IL	695 mi	$1,242	$1.79	$1,031 – $1,453	2 d
Houston, TX	1,093 mi	$1,869	$1.71	$1,551 – $2,186	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,099 mi	$3,514	$1.67	$2,916 – $4,111	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	537 mi	$1,333	$2.48	$1,107 – $1,560	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,303 mi	$2,166	$1.66	$1,798 – $2,535	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,448 mi	$3,663	$1.50	$3,041 – $4,286	5 d

More lanes into Santa Cruz

Hotshot lanes into Santa Cruz, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,032 mi	$4,994	$1.65	$4,145 – $5,842	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	340 mi	$1,159	$3.41	$962 – $1,356	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,185 mi	$4,458	$2.04	$3,700 – $5,216	5 d
Houston, TX	1,899 mi	$3,066	$1.61	$2,545 – $3,588	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	717 mi	$1,110	$1.55	$921 – $1,299	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,969 mi	$4,349	$1.46	$3,609 – $5,088	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,711 mi	$2,795	$1.63	$2,320 – $3,270	4 d
San Diego, CA	471 mi	$1,427	$3.03	$1,185 – $1,670	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Charlotte, NC to Santa Cruz, CA?

A Hotshot from Charlotte, NC to Santa Cruz, CA is estimated at $4,005 all-in in October 2026, or $1.48 a mile over about 2,697 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,324 and $4,685.

How far is Charlotte, NC from Santa Cruz, CA by truck?

About 2,697 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 $1,686 of the $4,005 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,319 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Santa Cruz, CA to Charlotte, NC?

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,169, which makes Charlotte, NC to Santa Cruz, 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 →