Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Central, LA step deck rate

$1,896step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $6.06
Distance: 313 mi
Typical range: $1,593–$2,200
Transit: 1 day

Request a firm quote

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

Houston to Central price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,580
Fuel: $316
All-in estimate: $1,896

Return trip

Central → Houston$1,742

This direction runs 9% above the return trip. Leaving TX prices below the national average and arriving in LA prices below it.

Houston to Central by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Central, LA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,375	$4.39	$1,224 – $1,527
53' refrigerated	$1,643	$5.25	$1,429 – $1,856
48' flatbed	$1,728	$5.52	$1,486 – $1,970
Step deck	$1,896	$6.06	$1,593 – $2,200
Power only	$1,176	$3.76	$1,023 – $1,329
Hotshot	$886	$2.83	$735 – $1,036
26' box truck	$883	$2.82	$751 – $1,015
Sprinter van	$550	$1.76	$462 – $638

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 step deck →

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 Central

Step deck lanes into Central, LA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,397 mi	$5,580	$3.99	$4,687 – $6,473	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,902 mi	$9,681	$5.09	$8,132 – $11,230	5 d
Chicago, IL	945 mi	$4,938	$5.23	$4,148 – $5,728	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,473 mi	$4,479	$3.04	$3,762 – $5,196	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,306 mi	$4,689	$3.59	$3,939 – $5,440	3 d
San Antonio, TX	536 mi	$2,587	$4.83	$2,173 – $3,001	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,815 mi	$9,298	$5.12	$7,811 – $10,786	4 d
Dallas, TX	437 mi	$2,281	$5.22	$1,916 – $2,645	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Houston, TX to Central, LA?

A Step deck from Houston, TX to Central, LA is estimated at $1,896 all-in in October 2026, or $6.06 a mile over about 313 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,593 and $2,200.

How far is Houston, TX from Central, LA by truck?

About 313 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 $316 of the $1,896 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,580 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Central, LA to Houston, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,742, which makes Houston, TX to Central, LA 9% more expensive. 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