Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Waterloo, IA to Houston, TX reefer rate

$4,029reefer

−0.3% from last month

Per mile: $3.82
Distance: 1,055 mi
Typical range: $3,505–$4,553
Transit: 2 days

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Waterloo to Houston price history

3 months: +1.9%
1 year: +35.9%
5 years: +3.5%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,948
Fuel: $1,081
All-in estimate: $4,029

Return trip

Houston → Waterloo$3,335

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

Waterloo to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Waterloo, IA to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,380	$3.20	$3,008 – $3,752
53' refrigerated	$4,029	$3.82	$3,505 – $4,553
48' flatbed	$4,101	$3.89	$3,526 – $4,675
Step deck	$4,471	$4.24	$3,756 – $5,187
Power only	$2,976	$2.82	$2,589 – $3,363
Hotshot	$2,246	$2.13	$1,864 – $2,628
26' box truck	$2,205	$2.09	$1,874 – $2,535
Sprinter van	$1,352	$1.28	$1,136 – $1,568

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 Waterloo

53' refrigerated lanes from Waterloo, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,131 mi	$5,528	$4.89	$4,810 – $6,247	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,797 mi	$6,097	$3.39	$5,304 – $6,889	4 d
Chicago, IL	287 mi	$1,591	$5.54	$1,384 – $1,798	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,456 mi	$5,610	$3.85	$4,880 – $6,339	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,073 mi	$5,040	$4.70	$4,384 – $5,695	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,137 mi	$4,281	$3.76	$3,724 – $4,837	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,775 mi	$6,032	$3.40	$5,247 – $6,816	4 d
Dallas, TX	840 mi	$3,369	$4.01	$2,931 – $3,807	2 d

More lanes into Houston

53' refrigerated lanes into Houston, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$5,363	$3.20	$4,666 – $6,060	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$6,992	$4.30	$6,083 – $7,901	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$4,565	$4.13	$3,972 – $5,158	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$3,103	$2.59	$2,700 – $3,507	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$4,541	$2.86	$3,950 – $5,131	3 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,258	$5.62	$1,095 – $1,422	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$6,639	$4.33	$5,776 – $7,502	3 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,360	$5.17	$1,183 – $1,537	1 d

About this lane

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

A 53' refrigerated from Waterloo, IA to Houston, TX is estimated at $4,029 all-in in October 2026, or $3.82 a mile over about 1,055 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,505 and $4,553.

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

About 1,055 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 2 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,081 of the $4,029 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,948 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,335, which makes Waterloo, 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 →