Lane · HOT · Oct 2026

San Diego, CA to Ames, IA hotshot rate

$3,949hotshot

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $2.34
Distance: 1,690 mi
Typical range: $3,277–$4,620
Transit: 4 days

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Hotshot · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

San Diego to Ames price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.2%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,892
Fuel: $1,057
All-in estimate: $3,949

Return trip

Ames → San Diego$3,248

This direction runs 22% above the return trip. Leaving CA prices above the national average and arriving in IA prices below it.

San Diego to Ames by truck type

Estimated cost from San Diego, CA to Ames, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,898	$3.49	$5,249 – $6,547
53' refrigerated	$7,026	$4.16	$6,113 – $7,940
48' flatbed	$7,091	$4.20	$6,099 – $8,084
Step deck	$7,720	$4.57	$6,485 – $8,955
Power only	$5,231	$3.10	$4,551 – $5,911
Hotshot	$3,949	$2.34	$3,277 – $4,620
26' box truck	$3,862	$2.29	$3,283 – $4,441
Sprinter van	$2,359	$1.40	$1,982 – $2,737

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 San Diego

Hotshot lanes from San Diego, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,864 mi	$8,495	$2.97	$7,051 – $9,939	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	131 mi	$730	$5.57	$606 – $854	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,034 mi	$4,559	$2.24	$3,784 – $5,334	4 d
Houston, TX	1,532 mi	$3,726	$2.43	$3,092 – $4,359	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	350 mi	$1,301	$3.72	$1,080 – $1,522	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,791 mi	$7,891	$2.83	$6,549 – $9,232	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,325 mi	$3,287	$2.48	$2,728 – $3,845	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,394 mi	$3,433	$2.46	$2,849 – $4,017	3 d

More lanes into Ames

Hotshot lanes into Ames, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,207 mi	$2,209	$1.83	$1,833 – $2,584	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,713 mi	$3,996	$2.33	$3,317 – $4,676	4 d
Chicago, IL	360 mi	$1,089	$3.02	$904 – $1,274	1 d
Houston, TX	1,005 mi	$1,786	$1.78	$1,483 – $2,090	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,371 mi	$1,891	$1.38	$1,570 – $2,213	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,147 mi	$1,879	$1.64	$1,560 – $2,199	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,074 mi	$1,887	$1.76	$1,566 – $2,207	3 d
Dallas, TX	780 mi	$1,460	$1.87	$1,212 – $1,708	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from San Diego, CA to Ames, IA?

A Hotshot from San Diego, CA to Ames, IA is estimated at $3,949 all-in in October 2026, or $2.34 a mile over about 1,690 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,277 and $4,620.

How far is San Diego, CA from Ames, IA by truck?

About 1,690 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 $1,057 of the $3,949 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,892 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Ames, IA to San Diego, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,248, which makes San Diego, CA to Ames, IA 22% 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 →