Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Palo Alto, CA to Houston, TX step deck rate

$8,824step deck

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $4.62
Distance: 1,912 mi
Typical range: $7,412–$10,236
Transit: 5 days

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

Palo Alto to Houston price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.2%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,896
Fuel: $1,928
All-in estimate: $8,824

Return trip

Houston → Palo Alto$6,008

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

Palo Alto to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Palo Alto, CA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,757	$3.53	$6,014 – $7,500
53' refrigerated	$8,049	$4.21	$7,003 – $9,095
48' flatbed	$8,109	$4.24	$6,974 – $9,244
Step deck	$8,824	$4.62	$7,412 – $10,236
Power only	$6,002	$3.14	$5,222 – $6,782
Hotshot	$4,531	$2.37	$3,761 – $5,301
26' box truck	$4,428	$2.32	$3,764 – $5,092
Sprinter van	$2,703	$1.41	$2,270 – $3,135

Live market check

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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
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
Dallas, TX	1,728 mi	$8,090	$4.68	$6,796 – $9,384	4 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 Palo Alto, CA to Houston, TX?

A Step deck from Palo Alto, CA to Houston, TX is estimated at $8,824 all-in in October 2026, or $4.62 a mile over about 1,912 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,412 and $10,236.

How far is Palo Alto, CA from Houston, TX by truck?

About 1,912 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 5 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,928 of the $8,824 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,896 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to Palo Alto, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $6,008, which makes Palo Alto, 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 →