Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA flatbed rate

$8,170flatbed

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $2.80
Distance: 2,913 mi
Typical range: $7,026–$9,313
Transit: 7 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Washington to San Francisco price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,324
Fuel: $2,846
All-in estimate: $8,170

Return trip

San Francisco → Washington$15,550

This direction runs 48% below the return trip. Leaving DC prices below the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Washington to San Francisco by truck type

Estimated cost from Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,844	$2.35	$6,091 – $7,597
53' refrigerated	$8,150	$2.80	$7,090 – $9,209
48' flatbed	$8,170	$2.80	$7,026 – $9,313
Step deck	$8,881	$3.05	$7,460 – $10,303
Power only	$6,104	$2.10	$5,311 – $6,898
Hotshot	$4,610	$1.58	$3,826 – $5,393
26' box truck	$4,495	$1.54	$3,821 – $5,169
Sprinter van	$2,738	$0.94	$2,300 – $3,176

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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 Washington

48' flatbed lanes from Washington, DC
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	240 mi	$1,820	$7.58	$1,565 – $2,075	1 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,720 mi	$7,678	$2.82	$6,603 – $8,752	6 d
Chicago, IL	704 mi	$2,500	$3.55	$2,150 – $2,850	2 d
Houston, TX	1,439 mi	$4,564	$3.17	$3,925 – $5,203	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,332 mi	$7,379	$3.16	$6,346 – $8,412	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	149 mi	$1,435	$9.63	$1,234 – $1,636	1 d
San Antonio, TX	1,636 mi	$5,084	$3.11	$4,372 – $5,795	4 d
San Diego, CA	2,675 mi	$7,563	$2.83	$6,504 – $8,622	6 d

More lanes into San Francisco

48' flatbed lanes into San Francisco, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,071 mi	$8,947	$2.91	$7,694 – $10,199	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	430 mi	$2,568	$5.97	$2,209 – $2,928	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,224 mi	$8,075	$3.63	$6,945 – $9,206	5 d
Houston, TX	1,974 mi	$5,676	$2.88	$4,882 – $6,471	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	799 mi	$2,230	$2.79	$1,918 – $2,542	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	3,009 mi	$7,799	$2.59	$6,707 – $8,890	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,789 mi	$5,213	$2.91	$4,483 – $5,943	4 d
San Diego, CA	561 mi	$3,034	$5.41	$2,609 – $3,459	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA?

A 48' flatbed from Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA is estimated at $8,170 all-in in October 2026, or $2.80 a mile over about 2,913 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,026 and $9,313.

How far is Washington, DC from San Francisco, CA by truck?

About 2,913 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 7 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $2,846 of the $8,170 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,324 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from San Francisco, CA to Washington, DC?

The reverse direction is estimated at $15,550, which makes Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA 48% cheaper. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Lane history applies the current origin and destination adjustments to the national series back to December 2003. Methodology