Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Bakersfield, CA step deck rate

$5,383step deck

+3.2% from last month

Per mile: $3.20
Distance: 1,682 mi
Typical range: $4,522–$6,245
Transit: 4 days

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

Houston to Bakersfield price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.5%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,687
Fuel: $1,696
All-in estimate: $5,383

Return trip

Bakersfield → Houston$7,906

This direction runs 32% below the return trip. Leaving TX prices below the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Houston to Bakersfield by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Bakersfield, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,113	$2.45	$3,660 – $4,565
53' refrigerated	$4,899	$2.91	$4,262 – $5,536
48' flatbed	$4,945	$2.94	$4,253 – $5,637
Step deck	$5,383	$3.20	$4,522 – $6,245
Power only	$3,647	$2.17	$3,173 – $4,121
Hotshot	$2,753	$1.64	$2,285 – $3,221
26' box truck	$2,693	$1.60	$2,289 – $3,096
Sprinter van	$1,645	$0.98	$1,382 – $1,908

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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 Bakersfield

Step deck lanes into Bakersfield, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,897 mi	$9,223	$3.18	$7,748 – $10,699	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	117 mi	$1,606	$13.73	$1,349 – $1,863	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,054 mi	$8,193	$3.99	$6,882 – $9,503	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	489 mi	$1,748	$3.57	$1,468 – $2,027	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,830 mi	$8,019	$2.83	$6,736 – $9,302	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,488 mi	$4,856	$3.26	$4,079 – $5,633	4 d
San Diego, CA	244 mi	$2,096	$8.59	$1,761 – $2,431	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,515 mi	$4,930	$3.25	$4,141 – $5,718	4 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Houston, TX to Bakersfield, CA is estimated at $5,383 all-in in October 2026, or $3.20 a mile over about 1,682 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,522 and $6,245.

How far is Houston, TX from Bakersfield, CA by truck?

About 1,682 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 $1,696 of the $5,383 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,687 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Bakersfield, CA to Houston, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,906, which makes Houston, TX to Bakersfield, CA 32% 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