Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Des Moines, IA to St. Louis, MO step deck rate

$1,959step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $6.16
Distance: 318 mi
Typical range: $1,645–$2,272
Transit: 1 day

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

Des Moines to St. Louis price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,638
Fuel: $321
All-in estimate: $1,959

Return trip

St. Louis → Des Moines$1,985

This direction runs 1% below the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in MO prices below it.

Des Moines to St. Louis by truck type

Estimated cost from Des Moines, IA to St. Louis, MO by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,421	$4.47	$1,265 – $1,578
53' refrigerated	$1,698	$5.34	$1,477 – $1,918
48' flatbed	$1,785	$5.61	$1,535 – $2,035
Step deck	$1,959	$6.16	$1,645 – $2,272
Power only	$1,216	$3.82	$1,058 – $1,374
Hotshot	$916	$2.88	$760 – $1,072
26' box truck	$913	$2.87	$776 – $1,050
Sprinter van	$569	$1.79	$478 – $660

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

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 St. Louis

Step deck lanes into St. Louis, MO
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,035 mi	$3,827	$3.70	$3,215 – $4,440	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,880 mi	$8,357	$4.45	$7,020 – $9,695	4 d
Chicago, IL	306 mi	$2,095	$6.85	$1,760 – $2,430	1 d
Houston, TX	800 mi	$2,969	$3.71	$2,494 – $3,444	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,493 mi	$3,950	$2.65	$3,318 – $4,582	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	958 mi	$3,203	$3.34	$2,690 – $3,715	3 d
San Antonio, TX	933 mi	$3,328	$3.57	$2,796 – $3,861	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,835 mi	$8,185	$4.46	$6,875 – $9,495	4 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Des Moines, IA to St. Louis, MO?

A Step deck from Des Moines, IA to St. Louis, MO is estimated at $1,959 all-in in October 2026, or $6.16 a mile over about 318 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,645 and $2,272.

How far is Des Moines, IA from St. Louis, MO by truck?

About 318 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 1 day of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $321 of the $1,959 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,638 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from St. Louis, MO to Des Moines, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,985, which makes Des Moines, IA to St. Louis, MO 1% 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 →