Lane · HOT · Oct 2026

San Jose, CA to Ames, IA hotshot rate

$4,180hotshot

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $2.32
Distance: 1,802 mi
Typical range: $3,469–$4,890
Transit: 4 days

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Hotshot · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

San Jose to Ames price history

3 months: +8.9%
1 year: +19.0%
5 years: +24.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,053
Fuel: $1,127
All-in estimate: $4,180

Return trip

Ames → San Jose$3,438

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

San Jose to Ames by truck type

Estimated cost from San Jose, CA to Ames, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,238	$3.46	$5,552 – $6,924
53' refrigerated	$7,431	$4.12	$6,465 – $8,397
48' flatbed	$7,492	$4.16	$6,443 – $8,541
Step deck	$8,155	$4.53	$6,850 – $9,459
Power only	$5,536	$3.07	$4,817 – $6,256
Hotshot	$4,180	$2.32	$3,469 – $4,890
26' box truck	$4,086	$2.27	$3,473 – $4,699
Sprinter van	$2,495	$1.38	$2,096 – $2,894

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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 Jose

Hotshot lanes from San Jose, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,009 mi	$8,893	$2.96	$7,382 – $10,405	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	350 mi	$1,179	$3.37	$979 – $1,380	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,162 mi	$4,817	$2.23	$3,998 – $5,636	5 d
Houston, TX	1,890 mi	$4,485	$2.37	$3,722 – $5,247	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	713 mi	$2,122	$2.98	$1,761 – $2,482	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,946 mi	$8,296	$2.82	$6,886 – $9,706	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,704 mi	$4,090	$2.40	$3,395 – $4,786	4 d
San Diego, CA	480 mi	$1,446	$3.01	$1,200 – $1,691	1 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
San Diego, CA	1,690 mi	$3,949	$2.34	$3,277 – $4,620	4 d

About this lane

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

A Hotshot from San Jose, CA to Ames, IA is estimated at $4,180 all-in in October 2026, or $2.32 a mile over about 1,802 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,469 and $4,890.

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

About 1,802 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 $1,127 of the $4,180 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,053 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,438, which makes San Jose, 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 →