Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA to Houston, TX step deck rate

$7,456step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $4.75
Distance: 1,569 mi
Typical range: $6,263–$8,648
Transit: 4 days

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

Rancho Santa Margarita to Houston price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,874
Fuel: $1,582
All-in estimate: $7,456

Return trip

Houston → Rancho Santa Margarita$5,076

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

Rancho Santa Margarita to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Rancho Santa Margarita, CA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,688	$3.63	$5,062 – $6,313
53' refrigerated	$6,776	$4.32	$5,895 – $7,657
48' flatbed	$6,847	$4.36	$5,888 – $7,805
Step deck	$7,456	$4.75	$6,263 – $8,648
Power only	$5,039	$3.21	$4,384 – $5,694
Hotshot	$3,804	$2.42	$3,157 – $4,451
26' box truck	$3,722	$2.37	$3,164 – $4,280
Sprinter van	$2,275	$1.45	$1,911 – $2,639

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 Rancho Santa Margarita

Step deck lanes from Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,864 mi	$16,373	$5.72	$13,753 – $18,992	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	63 mi	$1,398	$22.18	$1,174 – $1,621	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,029 mi	$8,844	$4.36	$7,429 – $10,259	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	374 mi	$2,865	$7.66	$2,407 – $3,324	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,793 mi	$15,227	$5.45	$12,791 – $17,663	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,366 mi	$6,645	$4.86	$5,582 – $7,709	3 d
San Diego, CA	74 mi	$1,440	$19.46	$1,210 – $1,670	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,420 mi	$6,861	$4.83	$5,763 – $7,959	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 Rancho Santa Margarita, CA to Houston, TX?

A Step deck from Rancho Santa Margarita, CA to Houston, TX is estimated at $7,456 all-in in October 2026, or $4.75 a mile over about 1,569 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,263 and $8,648.

How far is Rancho Santa Margarita, CA from Houston, TX by truck?

About 1,569 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 $1,582 of the $7,456 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,874 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,076, which makes Rancho Santa Margarita, 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 →