Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to El Centro, CA reefer rate

$4,248reefer

−0.3% from last month

Per mile: $2.98
Distance: 1,424 mi
Typical range: $3,695–$4,800
Transit: 3 days

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Houston to El Centro price history

3 months: +1.7%
1 year: +36.1%
5 years: +3.5%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,789
Fuel: $1,459
All-in estimate: $4,248

Return trip

El Centro → Houston$6,238

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

Houston to El Centro by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to El Centro, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,565	$2.50	$3,173 – $3,957
53' refrigerated	$4,248	$2.98	$3,695 – $4,800
48' flatbed	$4,299	$3.02	$3,697 – $4,901
Step deck	$4,682	$3.29	$3,933 – $5,431
Power only	$3,154	$2.22	$2,744 – $3,564
Hotshot	$2,381	$1.67	$1,976 – $2,785
26' box truck	$2,331	$1.64	$1,981 – $2,681
Sprinter van	$1,426	$1.00	$1,198 – $1,654

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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

53' refrigerated lanes from Houston, TX
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$6,549	$3.91	$5,698 – $7,401	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$4,760	$2.93	$4,142 – $5,379	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$3,391	$3.07	$2,950 – $3,832	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$4,056	$3.39	$3,529 – $4,583	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$5,941	$3.75	$5,168 – $6,713	3 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,258	$5.62	$1,095 – $1,422	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$4,520	$2.95	$3,933 – $5,108	3 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,360	$5.17	$1,183 – $1,537	1 d

More lanes into El Centro

53' refrigerated lanes into El Centro, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,768 mi	$8,117	$2.93	$7,062 – $9,172	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	219 mi	$1,709	$7.80	$1,487 – $1,931	1 d
Chicago, IL	1,941 mi	$7,116	$3.67	$6,191 – $8,041	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	245 mi	$1,036	$4.23	$901 – $1,170	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,694 mi	$7,032	$2.61	$6,118 – $7,946	5 d
San Antonio, TX	1,218 mi	$3,727	$3.06	$3,243 – $4,212	3 d
San Diego, CA	108 mi	$1,311	$12.14	$1,141 – $1,481	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,286 mi	$3,899	$3.03	$3,392 – $4,406	3 d

About this lane

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

A 53' refrigerated from Houston, TX to El Centro, CA is estimated at $4,248 all-in in October 2026, or $2.98 a mile over about 1,424 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,695 and $4,800.

How far is Houston, TX from El Centro, CA by truck?

About 1,424 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 $1,459 of the $4,248 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,789 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from El Centro, CA to Houston, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $6,238, which makes Houston, TX to El Centro, 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