Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

West Des Moines, IA to Los Angeles, CA flatbed rate

$5,844flatbed

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $3.45
Distance: 1,694 mi
Typical range: $5,026–$6,663
Transit: 4 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

West Des Moines to Los Angeles price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.5%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,189
Fuel: $1,655
All-in estimate: $5,844

Return trip

Los Angeles → West Des Moines$7,106

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

West Des Moines to Los Angeles by truck type

Estimated cost from West Des Moines, IA to Los Angeles, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$4,861	$2.87	$4,326 – $5,396
53' refrigerated	$5,791	$3.42	$5,038 – $6,544
48' flatbed	$5,844	$3.45	$5,026 – $6,663
Step deck	$6,362	$3.76	$5,344 – $7,380
Power only	$4,311	$2.55	$3,751 – $4,872
Hotshot	$3,255	$1.92	$2,701 – $3,808
26' box truck	$3,183	$1.88	$2,705 – $3,660
Sprinter van	$1,944	$1.15	$1,633 – $2,256

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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 West Des Moines

48' flatbed lanes from West Des Moines, 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
Chicago, IL	372 mi	$1,924	$5.17	$1,655 – $2,194	1 d
Houston, TX	965 mi	$3,827	$3.97	$3,291 – $4,362	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,346 mi	$5,318	$3.95	$4,573 – $6,062	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,156 mi	$5,439	$4.71	$4,678 – $6,201	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,034 mi	$4,037	$3.90	$3,471 – $4,602	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,669 mi	$5,771	$3.46	$4,963 – $6,579	4 d
Dallas, TX	740 mi	$3,142	$4.25	$2,702 – $3,582	2 d

More lanes into Los Angeles

48' flatbed lanes into Los Angeles, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,902 mi	$8,497	$2.93	$7,308 – $9,687	7 d
Chicago, IL	2,063 mi	$7,559	$3.66	$6,500 – $8,617	5 d
Houston, TX	1,627 mi	$4,807	$2.95	$4,134 – $5,480	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	430 mi	$1,476	$3.43	$1,269 – $1,683	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,831 mi	$7,378	$2.61	$6,345 – $8,411	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,425 mi	$4,301	$3.02	$3,699 – $4,903	3 d
San Diego, CA	131 mi	$1,505	$11.49	$1,294 – $1,716	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,474 mi	$4,424	$3.00	$3,805 – $5,043	4 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from West Des Moines, IA to Los Angeles, CA?

A 48' flatbed from West Des Moines, IA to Los Angeles, CA is estimated at $5,844 all-in in October 2026, or $3.45 a mile over about 1,694 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,026 and $6,663.

How far is West Des Moines, IA from Los Angeles, CA by truck?

About 1,694 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 $1,655 of the $5,844 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,189 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Los Angeles, CA to West Des Moines, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $7,106, which makes West Des Moines, IA to Los Angeles, 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 →