Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Santa Monica, CA to Austin, TX step deck rate

$7,025step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $4.81
Distance: 1,461 mi
Typical range: $5,901–$8,148
Transit: 4 days

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

Santa Monica to Austin price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,552
Fuel: $1,473
All-in estimate: $7,025

Return trip

Austin → Santa Monica$4,783

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

Santa Monica to Austin by truck type

Estimated cost from Santa Monica, CA to Austin, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,351	$3.66	$4,762 – $5,940
53' refrigerated	$6,376	$4.36	$5,547 – $7,205
48' flatbed	$6,450	$4.41	$5,547 – $7,353
Step deck	$7,025	$4.81	$5,901 – $8,148
Power only	$4,736	$3.24	$4,121 – $5,352
Hotshot	$3,575	$2.45	$2,967 – $4,183
26' box truck	$3,500	$2.40	$2,975 – $4,025
Sprinter van	$2,140	$1.47	$1,798 – $2,483

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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 Monica

Step deck lanes from Santa Monica, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,907 mi	$16,595	$5.71	$13,940 – $19,251	7 d
Chicago, IL	2,069 mi	$8,996	$4.35	$7,556 – $10,435	5 d
Houston, TX	1,633 mi	$7,711	$4.72	$6,477 – $8,945	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	436 mi	$3,129	$7.18	$2,629 – $3,630	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,837 mi	$15,444	$5.44	$12,973 – $17,915	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,431 mi	$6,905	$4.83	$5,800 – $8,010	4 d
San Diego, CA	135 mi	$1,675	$12.41	$1,407 – $1,943	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,480 mi	$7,100	$4.80	$5,964 – $8,236	4 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 Monica, CA to Austin, TX?

A Step deck from Santa Monica, CA to Austin, TX is estimated at $7,025 all-in in October 2026, or $4.81 a mile over about 1,461 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,901 and $8,148.

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

About 1,461 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 $1,473 of the $7,025 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,552 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,783, which makes Santa Monica, 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 →