Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Johnston, IA step deck rate

$3,488step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $3.57
Distance: 977 mi
Typical range: $2,930–$4,046
Transit: 3 days

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

Houston to Johnston price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,503
Fuel: $985
All-in estimate: $3,488

Return trip

Johnston → Houston$4,214

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

Houston to Johnston by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Johnston, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,632	$2.69	$2,342 – $2,921
53' refrigerated	$3,137	$3.21	$2,729 – $3,545
48' flatbed	$3,198	$3.27	$2,750 – $3,646
Step deck	$3,488	$3.57	$2,930 – $4,046
Power only	$2,314	$2.37	$2,013 – $2,615
Hotshot	$1,746	$1.79	$1,449 – $2,043
26' box truck	$1,715	$1.76	$1,458 – $1,972
Sprinter van	$1,053	$1.08	$884 – $1,221

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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 Johnston

Step deck lanes into Johnston, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,214 mi	$4,393	$3.62	$3,690 – $5,096	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,700 mi	$7,759	$4.56	$6,517 – $9,000	4 d
Chicago, IL	367 mi	$2,333	$6.36	$1,960 – $2,707	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,354 mi	$3,687	$2.72	$3,097 – $4,277	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,152 mi	$3,741	$3.25	$3,142 – $4,340	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,046 mi	$3,677	$3.52	$3,089 – $4,265	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,676 mi	$7,666	$4.57	$6,439 – $8,892	4 d
Dallas, TX	752 mi	$2,873	$3.82	$2,414 – $3,333	2 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Houston, TX to Johnston, IA is estimated at $3,488 all-in in October 2026, or $3.57 a mile over about 977 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,930 and $4,046.

How far is Houston, TX from Johnston, IA by truck?

About 977 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 $985 of the $3,488 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,503 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Johnston, IA to Houston, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,214, which makes Houston, TX to Johnston, IA 17% 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