Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Santa Maria, CA to Houston, TX step deck rate

$8,262step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $4.66
Distance: 1,771 mi
Typical range: $6,940–$9,583
Transit: 4 days

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

Santa Maria to Houston price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,476
Fuel: $1,786
All-in estimate: $8,262

Return trip

Houston → Santa Maria$5,625

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

Santa Maria to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Santa Maria, CA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,318	$3.57	$5,623 – $7,012
53' refrigerated	$7,526	$4.25	$6,547 – $8,504
48' flatbed	$7,590	$4.29	$6,527 – $8,653
Step deck	$8,262	$4.66	$6,940 – $9,583
Power only	$5,606	$3.17	$4,877 – $6,335
Hotshot	$4,232	$2.39	$3,513 – $4,952
26' box truck	$4,138	$2.34	$3,517 – $4,758
Sprinter van	$2,527	$1.43	$2,123 – $2,931

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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 Maria

Step deck lanes from Santa Maria, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,997 mi	$17,061	$5.69	$14,331 – $19,791	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	156 mi	$1,756	$11.26	$1,475 – $2,037	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,154 mi	$9,318	$4.33	$7,828 – $10,809	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	574 mi	$3,717	$6.48	$3,122 – $4,311	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,929 mi	$15,897	$5.43	$13,353 – $18,440	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,573 mi	$7,471	$4.75	$6,276 – $8,667	4 d
San Diego, CA	283 mi	$2,246	$7.94	$1,887 – $2,606	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,609 mi	$7,615	$4.73	$6,397 – $8,834	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 Maria, CA to Houston, TX?

A Step deck from Santa Maria, CA to Houston, TX is estimated at $8,262 all-in in October 2026, or $4.66 a mile over about 1,771 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,940 and $9,583.

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

About 1,771 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 $1,786 of the $8,262 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,476 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,625, which makes Santa Maria, 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 →