Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Des Moines, IA to Modesto, CA step deck rate

$6,519step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $3.74
Distance: 1,743 mi
Typical range: $5,476–$7,562
Transit: 4 days

Request a firm quote

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

Des Moines to Modesto price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,761
Fuel: $1,758
All-in estimate: $6,519

Return trip

Modesto → Des Moines$7,926

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

Des Moines to Modesto by truck type

Estimated cost from Des Moines, IA to Modesto, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,983	$2.86	$4,435 – $5,532
53' refrigerated	$5,937	$3.41	$5,165 – $6,708
48' flatbed	$5,989	$3.44	$5,150 – $6,827
Step deck	$6,519	$3.74	$5,476 – $7,562
Power only	$4,421	$2.54	$3,847 – $4,996
Hotshot	$3,338	$1.91	$2,770 – $3,905
26' box truck	$3,264	$1.87	$2,774 – $3,753
Sprinter van	$1,993	$1.14	$1,674 – $2,312

Live market check

Get live dry van quotes on this lane

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.

Request a quote for step deck →

More lanes from Des Moines

Step deck lanes from Des Moines, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,208 mi	$6,455	$5.34	$5,422 – $7,488	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,705 mi	$6,398	$3.75	$5,374 – $7,421	4 d
Chicago, IL	361 mi	$2,075	$5.75	$1,743 – $2,407	1 d
Houston, TX	968 mi	$4,184	$4.32	$3,515 – $4,854	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,357 mi	$5,832	$4.30	$4,899 – $6,766	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,145 mi	$5,884	$5.14	$4,943 – $6,826	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,039 mi	$4,419	$4.25	$3,712 – $5,126	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,679 mi	$6,315	$3.76	$5,304 – $7,325	4 d

More lanes into Modesto

Step deck lanes into Modesto, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,950 mi	$9,376	$3.18	$7,876 – $10,877	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	341 mi	$2,470	$7.24	$2,075 – $2,865	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,103 mi	$8,363	$3.98	$7,025 – $9,701	5 d
Houston, TX	1,844 mi	$5,823	$3.16	$4,892 – $6,755	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	677 mi	$2,164	$3.20	$1,818 – $2,511	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,888 mi	$8,168	$2.83	$6,861 – $9,474	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,661 mi	$5,326	$3.21	$4,474 – $6,178	4 d
San Diego, CA	470 mi	$2,968	$6.31	$2,493 – $3,443	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Des Moines, IA to Modesto, CA?

A Step deck from Des Moines, IA to Modesto, CA is estimated at $6,519 all-in in October 2026, or $3.74 a mile over about 1,743 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,476 and $7,562.

How far is Des Moines, IA from Modesto, CA by truck?

About 1,743 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 $1,758 of the $6,519 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,761 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Modesto, CA to Des Moines, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,926, which makes Des Moines, IA to Modesto, CA 18% 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