Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Santa Cruz, CA to Houston, TX step deck rate

$8,772step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $4.62
Distance: 1,899 mi
Typical range: $7,369–$10,176
Transit: 5 days

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

Santa Cruz to Houston price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,857
Fuel: $1,915
All-in estimate: $8,772

Return trip

Houston → Santa Cruz$5,973

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 Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Santa Cruz, CA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,717	$3.54	$5,978 – $7,455
53' refrigerated	$8,001	$4.21	$6,961 – $9,041
48' flatbed	$8,061	$4.24	$6,932 – $9,189
Step deck	$8,772	$4.62	$7,369 – $10,176
Power only	$5,965	$3.14	$5,190 – $6,741
Hotshot	$4,504	$2.37	$3,738 – $5,269
26' box truck	$4,401	$2.32	$3,741 – $5,061
Sprinter van	$2,687	$1.41	$2,257 – $3,117

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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
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
Dallas, TX	1,719 mi	$8,054	$4.69	$6,765 – $9,343	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 Cruz, CA to Houston, TX?

A Step deck from Santa Cruz, CA to Houston, TX is estimated at $8,772 all-in in October 2026, or $4.62 a mile over about 1,899 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,369 and $10,176.

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

About 1,899 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 5 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,915 of the $8,772 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,857 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,973, which makes Santa Cruz, 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 →