Lane · BOX · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Des Moines, IA box truck rate

$1,702box truck

+3.0% from last month

Per mile: $1.76
Distance: 968 mi
Typical range: $1,447–$1,958
Transit: 3 days

Request a firm quote

Box truck · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Houston to Des Moines price history

3 months: +8.0%
1 year: +17.4%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,030
Fuel: $672
All-in estimate: $1,702

Return trip

Des Moines → Houston$2,056

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

Houston to Des Moines by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Des Moines, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,612	$2.70	$2,325 – $2,900
53' refrigerated	$3,114	$3.22	$2,709 – $3,519
48' flatbed	$3,175	$3.28	$2,731 – $3,620
Step deck	$3,464	$3.58	$2,910 – $4,018
Power only	$2,297	$2.37	$1,998 – $2,595
Hotshot	$1,733	$1.79	$1,438 – $2,027
26' box truck	$1,702	$1.76	$1,447 – $1,958
Sprinter van	$1,045	$1.08	$878 – $1,212

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 box truck →

More lanes from Houston

26' box truck lanes from Houston, TX
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$3,599	$2.15	$3,059 – $4,139	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$2,616	$1.61	$2,223 – $3,008	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$1,857	$1.68	$1,578 – $2,135	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$2,222	$1.86	$1,889 – $2,556	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$3,263	$2.06	$2,774 – $3,753	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$672	$3.00	$571 – $773	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$2,482	$1.62	$2,110 – $2,855	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$729	$2.77	$619 – $838	1 d

More lanes into Des Moines

26' box truck lanes into Des Moines, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,208 mi	$2,167	$1.79	$1,842 – $2,492	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,705 mi	$3,892	$2.28	$3,308 – $4,476	4 d
Chicago, IL	361 mi	$1,085	$3.01	$922 – $1,248	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,357 mi	$1,836	$1.35	$1,561 – $2,112	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,145 mi	$1,841	$1.61	$1,565 – $2,117	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,039 mi	$1,802	$1.73	$1,532 – $2,073	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,679 mi	$3,840	$2.29	$3,264 – $4,416	4 d
Dallas, TX	744 mi	$1,387	$1.86	$1,179 – $1,595	2 d

About this lane

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

A 26' box truck from Houston, TX to Des Moines, IA is estimated at $1,702 all-in in October 2026, or $1.76 a mile over about 968 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,447 and $1,958.

How far is Houston, TX from Des Moines, IA by truck?

About 968 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 $672 of the $1,702 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,030 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Des Moines, IA to Houston, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,056, which makes Houston, TX to Des Moines, 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 →