Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Santa Cruz, CA step deck rate

$5,973step deck

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $3.15
Distance: 1,899 mi
Typical range: $5,017–$6,929
Transit: 5 days

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

Houston to Santa Cruz price history

3 months: +9.0%
1 year: +18.9%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,058
Fuel: $1,915
All-in estimate: $5,973

Return trip

Santa Cruz → Houston$8,772

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

Houston to Santa Cruz by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Santa Cruz, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,573	$2.41	$4,070 – $5,076
53' refrigerated	$5,447	$2.87	$4,739 – $6,156
48' flatbed	$5,488	$2.89	$4,720 – $6,257
Step deck	$5,973	$3.15	$5,017 – $6,929
Power only	$4,062	$2.14	$3,534 – $4,590
Hotshot	$3,066	$1.61	$2,545 – $3,588
26' box truck	$2,997	$1.58	$2,547 – $3,446
Sprinter van	$1,829	$0.96	$1,537 – $2,122

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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 Santa Cruz

Step deck lanes into Santa Cruz, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,032 mi	$9,613	$3.17	$8,075 – $11,151	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	340 mi	$2,466	$7.25	$2,072 – $2,861	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,185 mi	$8,649	$3.96	$7,265 – $10,032	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	717 mi	$2,253	$3.14	$1,893 – $2,613	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,969 mi	$8,375	$2.82	$7,035 – $9,715	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,711 mi	$5,462	$3.19	$4,588 – $6,336	4 d
San Diego, CA	471 mi	$2,972	$6.31	$2,496 – $3,447	2 d
Dallas, TX	1,719 mi	$5,484	$3.19	$4,606 – $6,361	4 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Houston, TX to Santa Cruz, CA?

A Step deck from Houston, TX to Santa Cruz, CA is estimated at $5,973 all-in in October 2026, or $3.15 a mile over about 1,899 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,017 and $6,929.

How far is Houston, TX from Santa Cruz, CA by truck?

About 1,899 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 5 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,915 of the $5,973 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,058 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Santa Cruz, CA to Houston, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,772, which makes Houston, TX to Santa Cruz, 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 →