Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Council Bluffs, IA flatbed rate

$3,090flatbed

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.31
Distance: 934 mi
Typical range: $2,657–$3,522
Transit: 2 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Houston to Council Bluffs price history

3 months: +8.9%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,178
Fuel: $912
All-in estimate: $3,090

Return trip

Council Bluffs → Houston$3,732

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

Houston to Council Bluffs by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Council Bluffs, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,540	$2.72	$2,260 – $2,819
53' refrigerated	$3,028	$3.24	$2,634 – $3,421
48' flatbed	$3,090	$3.31	$2,657 – $3,522
Step deck	$3,371	$3.61	$2,831 – $3,910
Power only	$2,231	$2.39	$1,941 – $2,521
Hotshot	$1,683	$1.80	$1,397 – $1,970
26' box truck	$1,654	$1.77	$1,406 – $1,903
Sprinter van	$1,016	$1.09	$853 – $1,178

Live market check

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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

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 Council Bluffs

48' flatbed lanes into Council Bluffs, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,347 mi	$4,386	$3.26	$3,772 – $5,001	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,565 mi	$6,644	$4.25	$5,714 – $7,574	4 d
Chicago, IL	501 mi	$2,561	$5.11	$2,202 – $2,919	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,220 mi	$3,109	$2.55	$2,674 – $3,544	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,283 mi	$3,743	$2.92	$3,219 – $4,267	3 d
San Antonio, TX	976 mi	$3,195	$3.27	$2,748 – $3,643	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,540 mi	$6,555	$4.26	$5,637 – $7,472	4 d
Dallas, TX	691 mi	$2,477	$3.59	$2,130 – $2,824	2 d

About this lane

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

A 48' flatbed from Houston, TX to Council Bluffs, IA is estimated at $3,090 all-in in October 2026, or $3.31 a mile over about 934 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,657 and $3,522.

How far is Houston, TX from Council Bluffs, IA by truck?

About 934 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 2 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $912 of the $3,090 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,178 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Council Bluffs, IA to Houston, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,732, which makes Houston, TX to Council Bluffs, 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 →