Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Santa Maria, CA reefer rate

$5,124reefer

−0.4% from last month

Per mile: $2.89
Distance: 1,771 mi
Typical range: $4,458–$5,790
Transit: 4 days

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Houston to Santa Maria price history

3 months: +1.7%
1 year: +35.7%
5 years: +3.6%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,309
Fuel: $1,815
All-in estimate: $5,124

Return trip

Santa Maria → Houston$7,526

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 Maria by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Santa Maria, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,301	$2.43	$3,828 – $4,775
53' refrigerated	$5,124	$2.89	$4,458 – $5,790
48' flatbed	$5,168	$2.92	$4,444 – $5,891
Step deck	$5,625	$3.18	$4,725 – $6,525
Power only	$3,817	$2.16	$3,321 – $4,313
Hotshot	$2,882	$1.63	$2,392 – $3,371
26' box truck	$2,817	$1.59	$2,395 – $3,240
Sprinter van	$1,721	$0.97	$1,445 – $1,996

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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 Santa Maria

53' refrigerated lanes into Santa Maria, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,997 mi	$8,731	$2.91	$7,596 – $9,866	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	156 mi	$1,483	$9.51	$1,290 – $1,676	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,154 mi	$7,805	$3.62	$6,790 – $8,820	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	574 mi	$1,714	$2.99	$1,491 – $1,937	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,929 mi	$7,591	$2.59	$6,605 – $8,578	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,573 mi	$4,624	$2.94	$4,023 – $5,225	3 d
San Diego, CA	283 mi	$1,939	$6.85	$1,687 – $2,191	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,609 mi	$4,715	$2.93	$4,102 – $5,328	3 d

About this lane

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

A 53' refrigerated from Houston, TX to Santa Maria, CA is estimated at $5,124 all-in in October 2026, or $2.89 a mile over about 1,771 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,458 and $5,790.

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

About 1,771 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 $1,815 of the $5,124 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,309 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,526, which makes Houston, TX to Santa Maria, 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 →