Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Santa Barbara, CA to Houston, TX step deck rate

$8,046step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $4.69
Distance: 1,717 mi
Typical range: $6,759–$9,333
Transit: 4 days

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

Santa Barbara to Houston price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,315
Fuel: $1,731
All-in estimate: $8,046

Return trip

Houston → Santa Barbara$5,478

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

Santa Barbara to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Santa Barbara, CA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,149	$3.58	$5,473 – $6,826
53' refrigerated	$7,325	$4.27	$6,373 – $8,278
48' flatbed	$7,391	$4.30	$6,357 – $8,426
Step deck	$8,046	$4.69	$6,759 – $9,333
Power only	$5,455	$3.18	$4,746 – $6,164
Hotshot	$4,118	$2.40	$3,418 – $4,818
26' box truck	$4,027	$2.35	$3,423 – $4,631
Sprinter van	$2,460	$1.43	$2,066 – $2,853

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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 Santa Barbara

Step deck lanes from Santa Barbara, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,969 mi	$16,916	$5.70	$14,210 – $19,623	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	93 mi	$1,513	$16.27	$1,271 – $1,755	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,128 mi	$9,220	$4.33	$7,745 – $10,695	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	520 mi	$3,487	$6.71	$2,929 – $4,045	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,900 mi	$15,754	$5.43	$13,233 – $18,274	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,517 mi	$7,248	$4.78	$6,088 – $8,408	4 d
San Diego, CA	218 mi	$1,996	$9.15	$1,676 – $2,315	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,561 mi	$7,424	$4.76	$6,236 – $8,611	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 Santa Barbara, CA to Houston, TX?

A Step deck from Santa Barbara, CA to Houston, TX is estimated at $8,046 all-in in October 2026, or $4.69 a mile over about 1,717 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,759 and $9,333.

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

About 1,717 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 $1,731 of the $8,046 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,315 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,478, which makes Santa Barbara, 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 →