Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

El Cajon, CA to Houston, TX step deck rate

$7,260step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $4.78
Distance: 1,520 mi
Typical range: $6,098–$8,422
Transit: 4 days

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

El Cajon to Houston price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.9%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,727
Fuel: $1,533
All-in estimate: $7,260

Return trip

Houston → El Cajon$4,943

This direction runs 47% above the return trip. Leaving CA prices above the national average and arriving in TX prices below it.

El Cajon to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from El Cajon, CA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,535	$3.64	$4,926 – $6,144
53' refrigerated	$6,595	$4.34	$5,737 – $7,452
48' flatbed	$6,667	$4.39	$5,733 – $7,600
Step deck	$7,260	$4.78	$6,098 – $8,422
Power only	$4,902	$3.22	$4,265 – $5,539
Hotshot	$3,700	$2.43	$3,071 – $4,329
26' box truck	$3,621	$2.38	$3,078 – $4,164
Sprinter van	$2,214	$1.46	$1,860 – $2,568

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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 El Cajon

Step deck lanes from El Cajon, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,854 mi	$16,321	$5.72	$13,710 – $18,932	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	140 mi	$1,695	$12.10	$1,424 – $1,966	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,024 mi	$8,825	$4.36	$7,413 – $10,237	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	338 mi	$2,712	$8.02	$2,278 – $3,146	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,780 mi	$15,163	$5.45	$12,737 – $17,589	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,313 mi	$6,434	$4.90	$5,404 – $7,463	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,382 mi	$6,709	$4.85	$5,636 – $7,783	3 d
Jacksonville, FL	2,449 mi	$15,973	$6.52	$13,417 – $18,529	6 d

More lanes into Houston

Step deck lanes into Houston, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$5,893	$3.52	$4,950 – $6,836	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$7,687	$4.72	$6,457 – $8,917	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$5,061	$4.58	$4,251 – $5,870	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$3,434	$2.87	$2,884 – $3,983	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$4,995	$3.15	$4,196 – $5,794	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,471	$6.57	$1,235 – $1,706	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$7,308	$4.77	$6,139 – $8,477	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,580	$6.01	$1,327 – $1,833	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from El Cajon, CA to Houston, TX?

A Step deck from El Cajon, CA to Houston, TX is estimated at $7,260 all-in in October 2026, or $4.78 a mile over about 1,520 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,098 and $8,422.

How far is El Cajon, CA from Houston, TX by truck?

About 1,520 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 $1,533 of the $7,260 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,727 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to El Cajon, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,943, which makes El Cajon, CA to Houston, TX 47% 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 →