Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Des Moines, IA to Houston, TX flatbed rate

$3,836flatbed

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.96
Distance: 968 mi
Typical range: $3,299–$4,373
Transit: 3 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Des Moines to Houston price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,890
Fuel: $946
All-in estimate: $3,836

Return trip

Houston → Des Moines$3,175

This direction runs 21% above the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in TX prices below it.

Des Moines to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Des Moines, IA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,156	$3.26	$2,809 – $3,503
53' refrigerated	$3,762	$3.89	$3,273 – $4,251
48' flatbed	$3,836	$3.96	$3,299 – $4,373
Step deck	$4,184	$4.32	$3,515 – $4,854
Power only	$2,774	$2.87	$2,414 – $3,135
Hotshot	$2,093	$2.16	$1,737 – $2,449
26' box truck	$2,056	$2.12	$1,748 – $2,365
Sprinter van	$1,262	$1.30	$1,060 – $1,464

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 Des Moines

48' flatbed lanes from Des Moines, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,208 mi	$5,922	$4.90	$5,093 – $6,752	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,705 mi	$5,877	$3.45	$5,054 – $6,700	4 d
Chicago, IL	361 mi	$1,892	$5.24	$1,627 – $2,157	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,357 mi	$5,354	$3.95	$4,604 – $6,103	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,145 mi	$5,398	$4.71	$4,642 – $6,154	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,039 mi	$4,052	$3.90	$3,485 – $4,619	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,679 mi	$5,800	$3.45	$4,988 – $6,612	4 d
Dallas, TX	744 mi	$3,154	$4.24	$2,712 – $3,595	2 d

More lanes into Houston

48' flatbed lanes into Houston, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$5,413	$3.23	$4,655 – $6,171	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$7,060	$4.34	$6,072 – $8,049	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$4,642	$4.20	$3,992 – $5,291	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$3,150	$2.63	$2,709 – $3,591	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$4,587	$2.89	$3,945 – $5,229	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,337	$5.97	$1,150 – $1,525	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$6,711	$4.38	$5,771 – $7,650	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,438	$5.47	$1,237 – $1,640	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Des Moines, IA to Houston, TX?

A 48' flatbed from Des Moines, IA to Houston, TX is estimated at $3,836 all-in in October 2026, or $3.96 a mile over about 968 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,299 and $4,373.

How far is Des Moines, IA from Houston, TX by truck?

About 968 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 3 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $946 of the $3,836 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,890 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to Des Moines, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,175, which makes Des Moines, IA to Houston, TX 21% more expensive. 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 →