Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Iowa City, IA to Houston, TX flatbed rate

$3,936flatbed

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.93
Distance: 1,001 mi
Typical range: $3,385–$4,487
Transit: 3 days

Request a firm quote

Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Iowa City to Houston price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,958
Fuel: $978
All-in estimate: $3,936

Return trip

Houston → Iowa City$3,258

This direction runs 21% above the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in TX prices below it.

Iowa City to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Iowa City, IA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,241	$3.24	$2,884 – $3,597
53' refrigerated	$3,863	$3.86	$3,361 – $4,365
48' flatbed	$3,936	$3.93	$3,385 – $4,487
Step deck	$4,293	$4.29	$3,606 – $4,980
Power only	$2,851	$2.85	$2,480 – $3,221
Hotshot	$2,151	$2.15	$1,785 – $2,517
26' box truck	$2,113	$2.11	$1,796 – $2,429
Sprinter van	$1,296	$1.30	$1,089 – $1,504

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 flatbed →

More lanes from Iowa City

48' flatbed lanes from Iowa City, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,081 mi	$5,421	$5.01	$4,662 – $6,180	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,830 mi	$6,245	$3.41	$5,370 – $7,119	4 d
Chicago, IL	234 mi	$1,524	$6.51	$1,311 – $1,738	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,477 mi	$5,743	$3.89	$4,939 – $6,547	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,019 mi	$4,925	$4.83	$4,235 – $5,614	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,096 mi	$4,225	$3.86	$3,634 – $4,817	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,803 mi	$6,165	$3.42	$5,302 – $7,028	4 d
Dallas, TX	798 mi	$3,318	$4.16	$2,854 – $3,783	2 d

More lanes into Houston

48' flatbed lanes into Houston, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$5,413	$3.23	$4,655 – $6,171	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$7,060	$4.34	$6,072 – $8,049	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$4,642	$4.20	$3,992 – $5,291	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$3,150	$2.63	$2,709 – $3,591	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$4,587	$2.89	$3,945 – $5,229	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,337	$5.97	$1,150 – $1,525	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$6,711	$4.38	$5,771 – $7,650	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,438	$5.47	$1,237 – $1,640	1 d

About this lane

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

A 48' flatbed from Iowa City, IA to Houston, TX is estimated at $3,936 all-in in October 2026, or $3.93 a mile over about 1,001 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,385 and $4,487.

How far is Iowa City, IA from Houston, TX by truck?

About 1,001 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 $978 of the $3,936 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,958 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to Iowa City, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,258, which makes Iowa City, IA to Houston, TX 21% more expensive. 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 →