Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Columbus, OH to Palo Alto, CA step deck rate

$9,187step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.70
Distance: 2,481 mi
Typical range: $7,717–$10,657
Transit: 6 days

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

Columbus to Palo Alto price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,685
Fuel: $2,502
All-in estimate: $9,187

Return trip

Palo Alto → Columbus$11,235

This direction runs 18% below the return trip. Leaving OH prices above the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Columbus to Palo Alto by truck type

Estimated cost from Columbus, OH to Palo Alto, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$7,064	$2.85	$6,287 – $7,841
53' refrigerated	$8,413	$3.39	$7,319 – $9,506
48' flatbed	$8,448	$3.40	$7,265 – $9,630
Step deck	$9,187	$3.70	$7,717 – $10,657
Power only	$6,292	$2.54	$5,474 – $7,110
Hotshot	$4,751	$1.91	$3,943 – $5,558
26' box truck	$4,636	$1.87	$3,940 – $5,331
Sprinter van	$2,826	$1.14	$2,374 – $3,278

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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 Columbus

Step deck lanes from Columbus, OH
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	565 mi	$3,832	$6.78	$3,218 – $4,445	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,341 mi	$8,724	$3.73	$7,328 – $10,120	5 d
Chicago, IL	327 mi	$2,037	$6.23	$1,711 – $2,363	1 d
Houston, TX	1,172 mi	$5,029	$4.29	$4,224 – $5,833	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,961 mi	$8,240	$4.20	$6,921 – $9,558	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	490 mi	$3,329	$6.79	$2,796 – $3,861	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,346 mi	$5,624	$4.18	$4,724 – $6,523	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,301 mi	$8,592	$3.73	$7,217 – $9,967	5 d

More lanes into Palo Alto

Step deck lanes into Palo Alto, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,026 mi	$9,596	$3.17	$8,060 – $11,131	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	370 mi	$2,582	$6.98	$2,169 – $2,995	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,179 mi	$8,628	$3.96	$7,247 – $10,008	5 d
Houston, TX	1,912 mi	$6,008	$3.14	$5,047 – $6,970	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	736 mi	$2,295	$3.12	$1,928 – $2,662	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,964 mi	$8,362	$2.82	$7,024 – $9,700	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,726 mi	$5,503	$3.19	$4,622 – $6,383	4 d
San Diego, CA	501 mi	$3,087	$6.16	$2,593 – $3,581	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Columbus, OH to Palo Alto, CA?

A Step deck from Columbus, OH to Palo Alto, CA is estimated at $9,187 all-in in October 2026, or $3.70 a mile over about 2,481 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,717 and $10,657.

How far is Columbus, OH from Palo Alto, CA by truck?

About 2,481 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 $2,502 of the $9,187 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,685 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Palo Alto, CA to Columbus, OH?

The reverse direction is estimated at $11,235, which makes Columbus, OH to Palo Alto, CA 18% 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 →