Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to Santa Monica, CA step deck rate

$5,250step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $3.22
Distance: 1,633 mi
Typical range: $4,410–$6,090
Transit: 4 days

Request a firm quote

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

Houston to Santa Monica price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.3%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,603
Fuel: $1,647
All-in estimate: $5,250

Return trip

Santa Monica → Houston$7,711

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 Monica by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to Santa Monica, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,009	$2.45	$3,568 – $4,449
53' refrigerated	$4,776	$2.92	$4,155 – $5,396
48' flatbed	$4,822	$2.95	$4,147 – $5,497
Step deck	$5,250	$3.22	$4,410 – $6,090
Power only	$3,553	$2.18	$3,092 – $4,015
Hotshot	$2,682	$1.64	$2,226 – $3,138
26' box truck	$2,624	$1.61	$2,230 – $3,018
Sprinter van	$1,603	$0.98	$1,347 – $1,860

Live market check

Get live dry van quotes on this lane

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.

Request a quote for step deck →

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 Monica

Step deck lanes into Santa Monica, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,907 mi	$9,252	$3.18	$7,772 – $10,733	7 d
Chicago, IL	2,069 mi	$8,245	$3.98	$6,926 – $9,564	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	436 mi	$1,630	$3.74	$1,369 – $1,891	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,837 mi	$8,037	$2.83	$6,751 – $9,323	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,431 mi	$4,701	$3.29	$3,949 – $5,454	4 d
San Diego, CA	135 mi	$1,675	$12.41	$1,407 – $1,943	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,480 mi	$4,834	$3.27	$4,061 – $5,608	4 d
Jacksonville, FL	2,546 mi	$6,236	$2.45	$5,238 – $7,234	6 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Houston, TX to Santa Monica, CA is estimated at $5,250 all-in in October 2026, or $3.22 a mile over about 1,633 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,410 and $6,090.

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

About 1,633 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 $1,647 of the $5,250 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,603 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,711, which makes Houston, TX to Santa Monica, 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 →