Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Phoenix, AZ to Merced, CA step deck rate

$2,071step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $3.26
Distance: 635 mi
Typical range: $1,740–$2,403
Transit: 2 days

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

Phoenix to Merced price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,431
Fuel: $640
All-in estimate: $2,071

Return trip

Merced → Phoenix$3,976

This direction runs 48% below the return trip. Leaving AZ prices below the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Phoenix to Merced by truck type

Estimated cost from Phoenix, AZ to Merced, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,542	$2.43	$1,372 – $1,712
53' refrigerated	$1,840	$2.90	$1,600 – $2,079
48' flatbed	$1,895	$2.98	$1,630 – $2,160
Step deck	$2,071	$3.26	$1,740 – $2,403
Power only	$1,344	$2.12	$1,169 – $1,518
Hotshot	$1,013	$1.60	$841 – $1,186
26' box truck	$1,000	$1.57	$850 – $1,150
Sprinter van	$617	$0.97	$518 – $716

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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 Phoenix

Step deck lanes from Phoenix, AZ
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,526 mi	$8,403	$3.33	$7,059 – $9,748	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	430 mi	$1,617	$3.76	$1,358 – $1,875	1 d
Chicago, IL	1,705 mi	$4,375	$2.57	$3,675 – $5,075	4 d
Houston, TX	1,198 mi	$3,434	$2.87	$2,884 – $3,983	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,451 mi	$7,782	$3.18	$6,537 – $9,028	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,000 mi	$2,980	$2.98	$2,503 – $3,456	3 d
San Diego, CA	350 mi	$1,439	$4.11	$1,209 – $1,670	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,047 mi	$3,087	$2.95	$2,593 – $3,581	3 d

More lanes into Merced

Step deck lanes into Merced, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,928 mi	$9,313	$3.18	$7,823 – $10,803	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	301 mi	$2,316	$7.69	$1,945 – $2,686	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,081 mi	$8,287	$3.98	$6,961 – $9,612	5 d
Houston, TX	1,805 mi	$5,718	$3.17	$4,803 – $6,632	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,864 mi	$8,106	$2.83	$6,809 – $9,403	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,621 mi	$5,218	$3.22	$4,383 – $6,052	4 d
San Diego, CA	429 mi	$2,810	$6.55	$2,360 – $3,259	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,620 mi	$5,215	$3.22	$4,380 – $6,049	4 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Phoenix, AZ to Merced, CA?

A Step deck from Phoenix, AZ to Merced, CA is estimated at $2,071 all-in in October 2026, or $3.26 a mile over about 635 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,740 and $2,403.

How far is Phoenix, AZ from Merced, CA by truck?

About 635 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 2 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $640 of the $2,071 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,431 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Merced, CA to Phoenix, AZ?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,976, which makes Phoenix, AZ to Merced, CA 48% cheaper. 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