Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Dallas, TX to Merced, CA step deck rate

$5,215step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $3.22
Distance: 1,620 mi
Typical range: $4,380–$6,049
Transit: 4 days

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

Dallas to Merced price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,581
Fuel: $1,634
All-in estimate: $5,215

Return trip

Merced → Dallas$7,659

This direction runs 32% below the return trip. Leaving TX prices below the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Dallas to Merced by truck type

Estimated cost from Dallas, TX to Merced, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,981	$2.46	$3,543 – $4,419
53' refrigerated	$4,743	$2.93	$4,126 – $5,359
48' flatbed	$4,790	$2.96	$4,119 – $5,460
Step deck	$5,215	$3.22	$4,380 – $6,049
Power only	$3,529	$2.18	$3,070 – $3,987
Hotshot	$2,664	$1.64	$2,211 – $3,116
26' box truck	$2,606	$1.61	$2,215 – $2,997
Sprinter van	$1,592	$0.98	$1,338 – $1,847

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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 Dallas

Step deck lanes from Dallas, TX
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,618 mi	$6,989	$4.32	$5,871 – $8,107	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,474 mi	$4,818	$3.27	$4,047 – $5,589	4 d
Chicago, IL	942 mi	$3,321	$3.53	$2,789 – $3,852	3 d
Houston, TX	263 mi	$1,580	$6.01	$1,327 – $1,833	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,047 mi	$4,035	$3.85	$3,390 – $4,681	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,532 mi	$6,351	$4.15	$5,335 – $7,367	4 d
San Antonio, TX	298 mi	$1,679	$5.63	$1,410 – $1,947	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,394 mi	$4,601	$3.30	$3,865 – $5,337	3 d

More lanes into Merced

Step deck lanes into Merced, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,928 mi	$9,313	$3.18	$7,823 – $10,803	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	301 mi	$2,316	$7.69	$1,945 – $2,686	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,081 mi	$8,287	$3.98	$6,961 – $9,612	5 d
Houston, TX	1,805 mi	$5,718	$3.17	$4,803 – $6,632	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	635 mi	$2,071	$3.26	$1,740 – $2,403	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,864 mi	$8,106	$2.83	$6,809 – $9,403	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,621 mi	$5,218	$3.22	$4,383 – $6,052	4 d
San Diego, CA	429 mi	$2,810	$6.55	$2,360 – $3,259	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Dallas, TX to Merced, CA?

A Step deck from Dallas, TX to Merced, CA is estimated at $5,215 all-in in October 2026, or $3.22 a mile over about 1,620 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,380 and $6,049.

How far is Dallas, TX from Merced, CA by truck?

About 1,620 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 $1,634 of the $5,215 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,581 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Merced, CA to Dallas, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,659, which makes Dallas, TX to Merced, CA 32% 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