Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Ames, IA step deck rate

$3,565step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $3.55
Distance: 1,005 mi
Typical range: $2,994–$4,135
Transit: 3 days

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

Houston to Ames price history

3 months: +8.9%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,552
Fuel: $1,013
All-in estimate: $3,565

Return trip

Ames → Houston$4,306

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

Houston to Ames by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Ames, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,691	$2.68	$2,395 – $2,987
53' refrigerated	$3,208	$3.19	$2,791 – $3,625
48' flatbed	$3,268	$3.25	$2,811 – $3,726
Step deck	$3,565	$3.55	$2,994 – $4,135
Power only	$2,368	$2.36	$2,060 – $2,675
Hotshot	$1,786	$1.78	$1,483 – $2,090
26' box truck	$1,754	$1.75	$1,491 – $2,018
Sprinter van	$1,077	$1.07	$904 – $1,249

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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 Houston

Step deck lanes from Houston, TX
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$7,197	$4.30	$6,045 – $8,348	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$5,234	$3.22	$4,396 – $6,071	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$3,759	$3.40	$3,158 – $4,361	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$4,488	$3.75	$3,770 – $5,206	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$6,535	$4.12	$5,489 – $7,580	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,471	$6.57	$1,235 – $1,706	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$4,976	$3.25	$4,180 – $5,772	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,580	$6.01	$1,327 – $1,833	1 d

More lanes into Ames

Step deck lanes into Ames, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,207 mi	$4,372	$3.62	$3,673 – $5,072	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,713 mi	$7,809	$4.56	$6,560 – $9,059	4 d
Chicago, IL	360 mi	$2,309	$6.41	$1,939 – $2,678	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,371 mi	$3,725	$2.72	$3,129 – $4,321	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,147 mi	$3,728	$3.25	$3,132 – $4,325	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,074 mi	$3,753	$3.49	$3,153 – $4,354	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,690 mi	$7,720	$4.57	$6,485 – $8,955	4 d
Dallas, TX	780 mi	$2,950	$3.78	$2,478 – $3,422	2 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Houston, TX to Ames, IA is estimated at $3,565 all-in in October 2026, or $3.55 a mile over about 1,005 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,994 and $4,135.

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

About 1,005 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 $1,013 of the $3,565 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,552 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,306, which makes Houston, TX to Ames, IA 17% 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