Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Santa Cruz, CA to Austin, TX step deck rate

$8,098step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $4.68
Distance: 1,730 mi
Typical range: $6,802–$9,394
Transit: 4 days

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

Santa Cruz to Austin price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,353
Fuel: $1,745
All-in estimate: $8,098

Return trip

Austin → Santa Cruz$5,514

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

Santa Cruz to Austin by truck type

Estimated cost from Santa Cruz, CA to Austin, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,190	$3.58	$5,509 – $6,871
53' refrigerated	$7,374	$4.26	$6,415 – $8,332
48' flatbed	$7,439	$4.30	$6,398 – $8,481
Step deck	$8,098	$4.68	$6,802 – $9,394
Power only	$5,491	$3.17	$4,777 – $6,205
Hotshot	$4,145	$2.40	$3,441 – $4,850
26' box truck	$4,053	$2.34	$3,445 – $4,661
Sprinter van	$2,476	$1.43	$2,080 – $2,872

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 Santa Cruz

Step deck lanes from Santa Cruz, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,032 mi	$17,242	$5.69	$14,483 – $20,001	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	340 mi	$2,466	$7.25	$2,072 – $2,861	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,185 mi	$9,436	$4.32	$7,926 – $10,946	5 d
Houston, TX	1,899 mi	$8,772	$4.62	$7,369 – $10,176	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	717 mi	$4,325	$6.03	$3,633 – $5,017	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,969 mi	$16,094	$5.42	$13,519 – $18,669	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,711 mi	$8,022	$4.69	$6,739 – $9,306	4 d
San Diego, CA	471 mi	$2,972	$6.31	$2,496 – $3,447	2 d

More lanes into Austin

Step deck lanes into Austin, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,785 mi	$6,221	$3.49	$5,226 – $7,217	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,455 mi	$7,001	$4.81	$5,880 – $8,121	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,149 mi	$5,215	$4.54	$4,381 – $6,050	3 d
Houston, TX	172 mi	$1,325	$7.70	$1,113 – $1,536	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,026 mi	$3,039	$2.96	$2,553 – $3,525	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,696 mi	$5,289	$3.12	$4,443 – $6,135	4 d
San Antonio, TX	87 mi	$1,086	$12.48	$912 – $1,259	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,360 mi	$6,621	$4.87	$5,562 – $7,681	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Santa Cruz, CA to Austin, TX?

A Step deck from Santa Cruz, CA to Austin, TX is estimated at $8,098 all-in in October 2026, or $4.68 a mile over about 1,730 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,802 and $9,394.

How far is Santa Cruz, CA from Austin, TX by truck?

About 1,730 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 $1,745 of the $8,098 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,353 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Austin, TX to Santa Cruz, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,514, which makes Santa Cruz, CA to Austin, 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 →