Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Palo Alto, CA flatbed rate

$5,521flatbed

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $2.89
Distance: 1,912 mi
Typical range: $4,748–$6,294
Transit: 4 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Houston to Palo Alto price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.9%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,653
Fuel: $1,868
All-in estimate: $5,521

Return trip

Palo Alto → Houston$8,109

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

Houston to Palo Alto by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Palo Alto, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,601	$2.41	$4,095 – $5,107
53' refrigerated	$5,480	$2.87	$4,768 – $6,193
48' flatbed	$5,521	$2.89	$4,748 – $6,294
Step deck	$6,008	$3.14	$5,047 – $6,970
Power only	$4,086	$2.14	$3,555 – $4,618
Hotshot	$3,085	$1.61	$2,561 – $3,610
26' box truck	$3,015	$1.58	$2,563 – $3,467
Sprinter van	$1,840	$0.96	$1,546 – $2,135

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 Palo Alto

48' flatbed lanes into Palo Alto, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,026 mi	$8,827	$2.92	$7,591 – $10,063	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	370 mi	$2,355	$6.36	$2,025 – $2,685	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,179 mi	$7,931	$3.64	$6,821 – $9,041	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	736 mi	$2,101	$2.86	$1,807 – $2,396	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,964 mi	$7,692	$2.60	$6,615 – $8,769	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,726 mi	$5,055	$2.93	$4,347 – $5,763	4 d
San Diego, CA	501 mi	$2,821	$5.63	$2,426 – $3,216	2 d
Dallas, TX	1,728 mi	$5,060	$2.93	$4,352 – $5,769	4 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Houston, TX to Palo Alto, CA?

A 48' flatbed from Houston, TX to Palo Alto, CA is estimated at $5,521 all-in in October 2026, or $2.89 a mile over about 1,912 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,748 and $6,294.

How far is Houston, TX from Palo Alto, CA by truck?

About 1,912 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 4 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,868 of the $5,521 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,653 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Palo Alto, CA to Houston, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,109, which makes Houston, TX to Palo Alto, CA 32% 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 →