Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Palo Alto, CA to Charlotte, NC step deck rate

$13,845step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $5.13
Distance: 2,699 mi
Typical range: $11,630–$16,060
Transit: 6 days

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

Palo Alto to Charlotte price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $11,123
Fuel: $2,722
All-in estimate: $13,845

Return trip

Charlotte → Palo Alto$7,734

This direction runs 79% above the return trip. Leaving CA prices above the national average and arriving in NC prices above it.

Palo Alto to Charlotte by truck type

Estimated cost from Palo Alto, CA to Charlotte, NC by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$10,658	$3.95	$9,485 – $11,830
53' refrigerated	$12,692	$4.70	$11,042 – $14,342
48' flatbed	$12,733	$4.72	$10,950 – $14,515
Step deck	$13,845	$5.13	$11,630 – $16,060
Power only	$9,500	$3.52	$8,265 – $10,735
Hotshot	$7,174	$2.66	$5,954 – $8,393
26' box truck	$6,997	$2.59	$5,948 – $8,047
Sprinter van	$4,263	$1.58	$3,581 – $4,945

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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 Palo Alto

Step deck lanes from Palo Alto, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,026 mi	$17,211	$5.69	$14,457 – $19,965	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	370 mi	$2,582	$6.98	$2,169 – $2,995	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,179 mi	$9,413	$4.32	$7,907 – $10,920	5 d
Houston, TX	1,912 mi	$8,824	$4.62	$7,412 – $10,236	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	736 mi	$4,406	$5.99	$3,701 – $5,111	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,964 mi	$16,069	$5.42	$13,498 – $18,640	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,726 mi	$8,082	$4.68	$6,789 – $9,375	4 d
San Diego, CA	501 mi	$3,087	$6.16	$2,593 – $3,581	2 d

More lanes into Charlotte

Step deck lanes into Charlotte, NC
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	627 mi	$3,199	$5.10	$2,687 – $3,711	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,508 mi	$12,963	$5.17	$10,889 – $15,037	6 d
Chicago, IL	695 mi	$4,143	$5.96	$3,480 – $4,806	2 d
Houston, TX	1,093 mi	$4,528	$4.14	$3,803 – $5,252	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,099 mi	$6,364	$3.03	$5,346 – $7,382	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	537 mi	$2,565	$4.78	$2,155 – $2,975	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,303 mi	$5,211	$4.00	$4,377 – $6,045	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,448 mi	$12,686	$5.18	$10,656 – $14,715	6 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Palo Alto, CA to Charlotte, NC?

A Step deck from Palo Alto, CA to Charlotte, NC is estimated at $13,845 all-in in October 2026, or $5.13 a mile over about 2,699 mi. Quotes typically land between $11,630 and $16,060.

How far is Palo Alto, CA from Charlotte, NC by truck?

About 2,699 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 6 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $2,722 of the $13,845 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $11,123 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Charlotte, NC to Palo Alto, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,734, which makes Palo Alto, CA to Charlotte, NC 79% 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 →