Lane · HOT · Oct 2026

Merced, CA to Houston, TX hotshot rate

$4,304hotshot

+3.0% from last month

Per mile: $2.38
Distance: 1,805 mi
Typical range: $3,573–$5,036
Transit: 4 days

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Hotshot · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Merced to Houston price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.4%
5 years: +24.6%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,176
Fuel: $1,128
All-in estimate: $4,304

Return trip

Houston → Merced$2,931

This direction runs 47% above the return trip. Leaving CA prices above the national average and arriving in TX prices below it.

Merced to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Merced, CA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,424	$3.56	$5,717 – $7,130
53' refrigerated	$7,652	$4.24	$6,657 – $8,647
48' flatbed	$7,715	$4.27	$6,635 – $8,795
Step deck	$8,397	$4.65	$7,054 – $9,741
Power only	$5,702	$3.16	$4,960 – $6,443
Hotshot	$4,304	$2.38	$3,573 – $5,036
26' box truck	$4,208	$2.33	$3,577 – $4,839
Sprinter van	$2,569	$1.42	$2,158 – $2,981

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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 Merced

Hotshot lanes from Merced, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,928 mi	$8,671	$2.96	$7,197 – $10,145	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	301 mi	$1,079	$3.58	$895 – $1,262	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,081 mi	$4,654	$2.24	$3,863 – $5,445	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	635 mi	$1,945	$3.06	$1,615 – $2,276	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,864 mi	$8,082	$2.82	$6,708 – $9,455	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,621 mi	$3,914	$2.41	$3,249 – $4,580	4 d
San Diego, CA	429 mi	$1,341	$3.13	$1,113 – $1,569	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,620 mi	$3,912	$2.41	$3,247 – $4,577	4 d

More lanes into Houston

Hotshot lanes into Houston, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$3,013	$1.80	$2,501 – $3,526	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$3,927	$2.41	$3,259 – $4,595	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$2,547	$2.30	$2,114 – $2,980	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$1,734	$1.45	$1,439 – $2,029	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$2,549	$1.61	$2,116 – $2,983	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$671	$3.00	$557 – $785	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$3,726	$2.43	$3,092 – $4,359	3 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$729	$2.77	$605 – $853	1 d

About this lane

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

A Hotshot from Merced, CA to Houston, TX is estimated at $4,304 all-in in October 2026, or $2.38 a mile over about 1,805 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,573 and $5,036.

How far is Merced, CA from Houston, TX by truck?

About 1,805 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 $1,128 of the $4,304 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,176 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to Merced, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,931, which makes Merced, CA to Houston, TX 47% 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 →