Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Palm Desert, CA to Houston, TX step deck rate

$7,124step deck

+3.2% from last month

Per mile: $4.79
Distance: 1,486 mi
Typical range: $5,984–$8,264
Transit: 4 days

Request a firm quote

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

Palm Desert to Houston price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,626
Fuel: $1,498
All-in estimate: $7,124

Return trip

Houston → Palm Desert$4,851

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

Palm Desert to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Palm Desert, CA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,429	$3.65	$4,832 – $6,026
53' refrigerated	$6,468	$4.35	$5,628 – $7,309
48' flatbed	$6,542	$4.40	$5,626 – $7,457
Step deck	$7,124	$4.79	$5,984 – $8,264
Power only	$4,806	$3.23	$4,182 – $5,431
Hotshot	$3,628	$2.44	$3,011 – $4,245
26' box truck	$3,551	$2.39	$3,019 – $4,084
Sprinter van	$2,172	$1.46	$1,824 – $2,519

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 Palm Desert

Step deck lanes from Palm Desert, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,785 mi	$15,964	$5.73	$13,410 – $18,518	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	140 mi	$1,695	$12.10	$1,424 – $1,966	1 d
Chicago, IL	1,951 mi	$8,547	$4.38	$7,180 – $9,915	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	290 mi	$2,508	$8.65	$2,107 – $2,909	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,713 mi	$14,833	$5.47	$12,460 – $17,206	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,285 mi	$6,322	$4.92	$5,311 – $7,334	3 d
San Diego, CA	92 mi	$1,509	$16.41	$1,268 – $1,751	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,336 mi	$6,526	$4.88	$5,482 – $7,570	3 d

More lanes into Houston

Step deck lanes into Houston, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$5,893	$3.52	$4,950 – $6,836	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$7,687	$4.72	$6,457 – $8,917	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$5,061	$4.58	$4,251 – $5,870	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$3,434	$2.87	$2,884 – $3,983	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$4,995	$3.15	$4,196 – $5,794	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,471	$6.57	$1,235 – $1,706	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$7,308	$4.77	$6,139 – $8,477	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,580	$6.01	$1,327 – $1,833	1 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Palm Desert, CA to Houston, TX is estimated at $7,124 all-in in October 2026, or $4.79 a mile over about 1,486 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,984 and $8,264.

How far is Palm Desert, CA from Houston, TX by truck?

About 1,486 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 $1,498 of the $7,124 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,626 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to Palm Desert, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,851, which makes Palm Desert, 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 →