Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Urbandale, IA to Houston, TX flatbed rate

$3,848flatbed

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.96
Distance: 972 mi
Typical range: $3,309–$4,387
Transit: 3 days

Request a firm quote

Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Urbandale to Houston price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,898
Fuel: $950
All-in estimate: $3,848

Return trip

Houston → Urbandale$3,185

This direction runs 21% above the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in TX prices below it.

Urbandale to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Urbandale, IA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,166	$3.26	$2,818 – $3,514
53' refrigerated	$3,774	$3.88	$3,284 – $4,265
48' flatbed	$3,848	$3.96	$3,309 – $4,387
Step deck	$4,197	$4.32	$3,526 – $4,869
Power only	$2,784	$2.86	$2,422 – $3,145
Hotshot	$2,100	$2.16	$1,743 – $2,457
26' box truck	$2,063	$2.12	$1,754 – $2,373
Sprinter van	$1,266	$1.30	$1,064 – $1,469

Live market check

Get live dry van quotes on this lane

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.

Request a quote for flatbed →

More lanes from Urbandale

48' flatbed lanes from Urbandale, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,218 mi	$5,962	$4.89	$5,127 – $6,797	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,696 mi	$5,850	$3.45	$5,031 – $6,669	4 d
Chicago, IL	371 mi	$1,921	$5.18	$1,652 – $2,190	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,349 mi	$5,328	$3.95	$4,582 – $6,074	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,156 mi	$5,439	$4.71	$4,678 – $6,201	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,041 mi	$4,058	$3.90	$3,490 – $4,626	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,671 mi	$5,777	$3.46	$4,968 – $6,586	4 d
Dallas, TX	746 mi	$3,160	$4.24	$2,718 – $3,602	2 d

More lanes into Houston

48' flatbed lanes into Houston, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$5,413	$3.23	$4,655 – $6,171	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$7,060	$4.34	$6,072 – $8,049	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$4,642	$4.20	$3,992 – $5,291	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$3,150	$2.63	$2,709 – $3,591	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$4,587	$2.89	$3,945 – $5,229	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,337	$5.97	$1,150 – $1,525	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$6,711	$4.38	$5,771 – $7,650	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,438	$5.47	$1,237 – $1,640	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Urbandale, IA to Houston, TX?

A 48' flatbed from Urbandale, IA to Houston, TX is estimated at $3,848 all-in in October 2026, or $3.96 a mile over about 972 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,309 and $4,387.

How far is Urbandale, IA from Houston, TX by truck?

About 972 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 3 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $950 of the $3,848 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,898 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to Urbandale, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,185, which makes Urbandale, IA to Houston, TX 21% 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 →