Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Altoona, IA flatbed rate

$3,193flatbed

+3.1% from last month

Per mile: $3.27
Distance: 975 mi
Typical range: $2,746–$3,640
Transit: 3 days

Request a firm quote

Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Houston to Altoona price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.5%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,241
Fuel: $952
All-in estimate: $3,193

Return trip

Altoona → Houston$3,857

This direction runs 17% below the return trip. Leaving TX prices below the national average and arriving in IA prices below it.

Houston to Altoona by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Altoona, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,627	$2.69	$2,338 – $2,916
53' refrigerated	$3,132	$3.21	$2,725 – $3,539
48' flatbed	$3,193	$3.27	$2,746 – $3,640
Step deck	$3,483	$3.57	$2,926 – $4,040
Power only	$2,310	$2.37	$2,010 – $2,610
Hotshot	$1,743	$1.79	$1,447 – $2,039
26' box truck	$1,712	$1.76	$1,455 – $1,969
Sprinter van	$1,051	$1.08	$883 – $1,219

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 flatbed →

More lanes from Houston

48' flatbed lanes from Houston, TX
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$6,611	$3.95	$5,685 – $7,536	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$4,807	$2.95	$4,134 – $5,480	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$3,448	$3.12	$2,965 – $3,931	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$4,118	$3.44	$3,541 – $4,694	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$6,002	$3.79	$5,161 – $6,842	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,337	$5.97	$1,150 – $1,525	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$4,569	$2.98	$3,930 – $5,209	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,438	$5.47	$1,237 – $1,640	1 d

More lanes into Altoona

48' flatbed lanes into Altoona, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,200 mi	$3,993	$3.33	$3,434 – $4,552	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,714 mi	$7,177	$4.19	$6,172 – $8,182	4 d
Chicago, IL	353 mi	$2,083	$5.90	$1,791 – $2,374	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,366 mi	$3,409	$2.50	$2,932 – $3,886	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,138 mi	$3,399	$2.99	$2,923 – $3,874	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,048 mi	$3,377	$3.22	$2,904 – $3,850	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,689 mi	$7,088	$4.20	$6,095 – $8,080	4 d
Dallas, TX	753 mi	$2,633	$3.50	$2,265 – $3,002	2 d

About this lane

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

A 48' flatbed from Houston, TX to Altoona, IA is estimated at $3,193 all-in in October 2026, or $3.27 a mile over about 975 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,746 and $3,640.

How far is Houston, TX from Altoona, IA by truck?

About 975 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 $952 of the $3,193 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,241 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Altoona, IA to Houston, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,857, which makes Houston, TX to Altoona, IA 17% 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 →