Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Madison, WI to Des Moines, IA step deck rate

$1,955step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $6.96
Distance: 281 mi
Typical range: $1,642–$2,268
Transit: 1 day

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

Madison to Des Moines price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,672
Fuel: $283
All-in estimate: $1,955

Return trip

Des Moines → Madison$1,912

This direction runs 2% above the return trip. Leaving WI prices above the national average and arriving in IA prices below it.

Madison to Des Moines by truck type

Estimated cost from Madison, WI to Des Moines, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,412	$5.02	$1,257 – $1,567
53' refrigerated	$1,687	$6.00	$1,468 – $1,906
48' flatbed	$1,780	$6.34	$1,531 – $2,029
Step deck	$1,955	$6.96	$1,642 – $2,268
Power only	$1,203	$4.28	$1,047 – $1,360
Hotshot	$906	$3.23	$752 – $1,060
26' box truck	$905	$3.22	$769 – $1,041
Sprinter van	$565	$2.01	$474 – $655

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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 Madison

Step deck lanes from Madison, WI
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	960 mi	$5,659	$5.89	$4,753 – $6,564	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,978 mi	$7,627	$3.86	$6,407 – $8,848	5 d
Chicago, IL	146 mi	$1,468	$10.06	$1,233 – $1,703	1 d
Houston, TX	1,152 mi	$5,028	$4.36	$4,223 – $5,832	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,636 mi	$7,151	$4.37	$6,007 – $8,295	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	906 mi	$5,153	$5.69	$4,328 – $5,977	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,260 mi	$5,402	$4.29	$4,538 – $6,266	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,956 mi	$7,554	$3.86	$6,345 – $8,762	5 d

More lanes into Des Moines

Step deck lanes into Des Moines, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,208 mi	$4,375	$3.62	$3,675 – $5,075	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,705 mi	$7,778	$4.56	$6,534 – $9,023	4 d
Chicago, IL	361 mi	$2,312	$6.41	$1,942 – $2,682	1 d
Houston, TX	968 mi	$3,464	$3.58	$2,910 – $4,018	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,357 mi	$3,694	$2.72	$3,103 – $4,285	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,145 mi	$3,723	$3.25	$3,127 – $4,319	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,039 mi	$3,658	$3.52	$3,073 – $4,243	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,679 mi	$7,677	$4.57	$6,449 – $8,906	4 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Madison, WI to Des Moines, IA?

A Step deck from Madison, WI to Des Moines, IA is estimated at $1,955 all-in in October 2026, or $6.96 a mile over about 281 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,642 and $2,268.

How far is Madison, WI from Des Moines, IA by truck?

About 281 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 1 day of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $283 of the $1,955 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,672 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Des Moines, IA to Madison, WI?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,912, which makes Madison, WI to Des Moines, IA 2% more expensive. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Lane history applies the current origin and destination adjustments to the national series back to December 2003. Methodology