Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA step deck rate

$6,905step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.70
Distance: 1,864 mi
Typical range: $5,800–$8,010
Transit: 4 days

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

Des Moines to San Francisco price history

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

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,025
Fuel: $1,880
All-in estimate: $6,905

Return trip

San Francisco → Des Moines$8,395

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 San Francisco by truck type

Estimated cost from Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,285	$2.84	$4,704 – $5,866
53' refrigerated	$6,296	$3.38	$5,477 – $7,114
48' flatbed	$6,345	$3.40	$5,456 – $7,233
Step deck	$6,905	$3.70	$5,800 – $8,010
Power only	$4,693	$2.52	$4,083 – $5,303
Hotshot	$3,543	$1.90	$2,941 – $4,145
26' box truck	$3,463	$1.86	$2,943 – $3,982
Sprinter van	$2,114	$1.13	$1,776 – $2,452

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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

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 San Francisco

Step deck lanes into San Francisco, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,071 mi	$9,726	$3.17	$8,169 – $11,282	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	430 mi	$2,813	$6.54	$2,363 – $3,264	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,224 mi	$8,784	$3.95	$7,379 – $10,190	5 d
Houston, TX	1,974 mi	$6,177	$3.13	$5,188 – $7,165	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	799 mi	$2,435	$3.05	$2,045 – $2,824	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	3,009 mi	$8,478	$2.82	$7,121 – $9,834	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,789 mi	$5,674	$3.17	$4,766 – $6,582	4 d
San Diego, CA	561 mi	$3,319	$5.92	$2,788 – $3,850	2 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA is estimated at $6,905 all-in in October 2026, or $3.70 a mile over about 1,864 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,800 and $8,010.

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

About 1,864 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 $1,880 of the $6,905 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,025 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,395, which makes Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, 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 →