Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Council Bluffs, IA to San Diego, CA flatbed rate

$5,391flatbed

+3.2% from last month

Per mile: $3.50
Distance: 1,540 mi
Typical range: $4,637–$6,146
Transit: 4 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Council Bluffs to San Diego price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,887
Fuel: $1,504
All-in estimate: $5,391

Return trip

San Diego → Council Bluffs$6,555

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

Council Bluffs to San Diego by truck type

Estimated cost from Council Bluffs, IA to San Diego, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,477	$2.91	$3,985 – $4,970
53' refrigerated	$5,334	$3.46	$4,641 – $6,028
48' flatbed	$5,391	$3.50	$4,637 – $6,146
Step deck	$5,871	$3.81	$4,932 – $6,810
Power only	$3,966	$2.58	$3,450 – $4,481
Hotshot	$2,994	$1.94	$2,485 – $3,502
26' box truck	$2,929	$1.90	$2,490 – $3,369
Sprinter van	$1,791	$1.16	$1,504 – $2,077

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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 Council Bluffs

48' flatbed lanes from Council Bluffs, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,347 mi	$6,471	$4.80	$5,565 – $7,377	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,565 mi	$5,465	$3.49	$4,700 – $6,230	4 d
Chicago, IL	501 mi	$2,298	$4.59	$1,976 – $2,620	2 d
Houston, TX	934 mi	$3,732	$4.00	$3,210 – $4,255	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,220 mi	$4,909	$4.02	$4,222 – $5,596	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,283 mi	$5,916	$4.61	$5,088 – $6,744	3 d
San Antonio, TX	976 mi	$3,860	$3.95	$3,320 – $4,400	3 d
Dallas, TX	691 mi	$2,993	$4.33	$2,574 – $3,412	2 d

More lanes into San Diego

48' flatbed lanes into San Diego, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,864 mi	$8,396	$2.93	$7,221 – $9,572	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	131 mi	$1,505	$11.49	$1,294 – $1,716	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,034 mi	$7,466	$3.67	$6,420 – $8,511	5 d
Houston, TX	1,532 mi	$4,569	$2.98	$3,930 – $5,209	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	350 mi	$1,312	$3.75	$1,129 – $1,496	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,791 mi	$7,284	$2.61	$6,264 – $8,303	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,325 mi	$4,051	$3.06	$3,484 – $4,618	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,394 mi	$4,224	$3.03	$3,632 – $4,815	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Council Bluffs, IA to San Diego, CA?

A 48' flatbed from Council Bluffs, IA to San Diego, CA is estimated at $5,391 all-in in October 2026, or $3.50 a mile over about 1,540 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,637 and $6,146.

How far is Council Bluffs, IA from San Diego, CA by truck?

About 1,540 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 4 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,504 of the $5,391 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,887 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from San Diego, CA to Council Bluffs, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $6,555, which makes Council Bluffs, IA to San Diego, 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 →