Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Waterloo, IA to San Diego, CA reefer rate

$6,032reefer

−0.3% from last month

Per mile: $3.40
Distance: 1,775 mi
Typical range: $5,247–$6,816
Transit: 4 days

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Waterloo to San Diego price history

3 months: +1.8%
1 year: +36.0%
5 years: +3.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,213
Fuel: $1,819
All-in estimate: $6,032

Return trip

San Diego → Waterloo$7,333

This direction runs 18% below the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Waterloo to San Diego by truck type

Estimated cost from Waterloo, IA to San Diego, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,063	$2.85	$4,506 – $5,620
53' refrigerated	$6,032	$3.40	$5,247 – $6,816
48' flatbed	$6,083	$3.43	$5,231 – $6,934
Step deck	$6,621	$3.73	$5,562 – $7,680
Power only	$4,493	$2.53	$3,909 – $5,077
Hotshot	$3,392	$1.91	$2,815 – $3,969
26' box truck	$3,316	$1.87	$2,819 – $3,814
Sprinter van	$2,025	$1.14	$1,701 – $2,349

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
Houston, TX	1,055 mi	$4,029	$3.82	$3,505 – $4,553	2 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
Dallas, TX	840 mi	$3,369	$4.01	$2,931 – $3,807	2 d

More lanes into San Diego

53' refrigerated lanes into San Diego, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,864 mi	$8,374	$2.92	$7,286 – $9,463	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	131 mi	$1,393	$10.64	$1,212 – $1,575	1 d
Chicago, IL	2,034 mi	$7,417	$3.65	$6,453 – $8,381	4 d
Houston, TX	1,532 mi	$4,520	$2.95	$3,933 – $5,108	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	350 mi	$1,252	$3.58	$1,089 – $1,415	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,791 mi	$7,263	$2.60	$6,319 – $8,207	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,325 mi	$3,998	$3.02	$3,478 – $4,517	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,394 mi	$4,172	$2.99	$3,629 – $4,714	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Waterloo, IA to San Diego, CA?

A 53' refrigerated from Waterloo, IA to San Diego, CA is estimated at $6,032 all-in in October 2026, or $3.40 a mile over about 1,775 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,247 and $6,816.

How far is Waterloo, IA from San Diego, CA by truck?

About 1,775 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 $1,819 of the $6,032 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,213 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from San Diego, CA to Waterloo, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,333, which makes Waterloo, IA to San Diego, CA 18% cheaper. 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 →