Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Santa Monica, CA to Houston, TX step deck rate

$7,711step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $4.72
Distance: 1,633 mi
Typical range: $6,477–$8,945
Transit: 4 days

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

Santa Monica to Houston price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,064
Fuel: $1,647
All-in estimate: $7,711

Return trip

Houston → Santa Monica$5,250

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 Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Santa Monica, CA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,887	$3.61	$5,240 – $6,535
53' refrigerated	$7,014	$4.30	$6,102 – $7,926
48' flatbed	$7,082	$4.34	$6,091 – $8,074
Step deck	$7,711	$4.72	$6,477 – $8,945
Power only	$5,219	$3.20	$4,540 – $5,897
Hotshot	$3,940	$2.41	$3,270 – $4,609
26' box truck	$3,854	$2.36	$3,276 – $4,432
Sprinter van	$2,355	$1.44	$1,978 – $2,732

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 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
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
Jacksonville, FL	2,546 mi	$16,537	$6.50	$13,891 – $19,183	6 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 Monica, CA to Houston, TX?

A Step deck from Santa Monica, CA to Houston, TX is estimated at $7,711 all-in in October 2026, or $4.72 a mile over about 1,633 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,477 and $8,945.

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

About 1,633 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 $1,647 of the $7,711 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,064 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,250, which makes Santa Monica, 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 →