FLAT · national · Oct 2026
Flatbed rates per mile
An open 48-foot deck loaded from the side or by crane, tarped when needed.
$4.27/mi
+3.4% from last month
- 3 months
- +8.7%
- 1 year
- +18.6%
- 52-week range
- $3.58–$4.27
- Fuel per mile
- $0.98
Flatbed · national · monthly since 2003
Flatbed rate history
All-in rateFuel cost per mile
48' flatbed freight in the United States averaged $4.27 a mile all-in in October 2026, up 3.4% from the month before and up 18.6% from a year earlier. That is the highest point of the past twelve months. Fuel accounts for about $0.98 of each mile at current diesel prices.
Price a flatbed load
Flatbed rates by state
| State | Outbound | Inbound |
|---|---|---|
| California | $5.86 | $3.60 |
| Oregon | $5.76 | $3.60 |
| Washington | $5.37 | $3.60 |
| Illinois | $5.29 | $3.54 |
| Minnesota | $5.15 | $3.98 |
| Nebraska | $5.14 | $3.62 |
| Michigan | $5.13 | $3.73 |
| Indiana | $5.09 | $3.69 |
| North Dakota | $5.09 | $4.08 |
| South Dakota | $5.09 | $3.80 |
| Wisconsin | $5.09 | $3.71 |
| Kansas | $5.05 | $3.73 |
| Ohio | $5.02 | $3.77 |
| Missouri | $4.86 | $3.58 |
| Iowa | $4.85 | $3.62 |
| Alabama | $4.56 | $4.23 |
| New York | $4.39 | $4.83 |
| Mississippi | $4.38 | $4.26 |
| Tennessee | $4.37 | $4.09 |
| Kentucky | $4.32 | $3.89 |
| New Jersey | $4.32 | $4.52 |
| Arkansas | $4.26 | $3.80 |
| Maryland | $4.22 | $4.69 |
| District of Columbia | $4.20 | $4.91 |
| Virginia | $4.20 | $4.79 |
| West Virginia | $4.20 | $4.68 |
| Louisiana | $4.18 | $4.10 |
| Delaware | $4.15 | $4.68 |
| Oklahoma | $4.14 | $4.13 |
| Texas | $4.13 | $3.72 |
| Idaho | $4.04 | $4.45 |
| Maine | $4.03 | $5.43 |
| Georgia | $3.98 | $4.24 |
| New Hampshire | $3.92 | $5.21 |
| North Carolina | $3.92 | $4.31 |
| South Carolina | $3.90 | $4.39 |
| Pennsylvania | $3.89 | $4.59 |
| Massachusetts | $3.78 | $4.98 |
| Rhode Island | $3.78 | $5.20 |
| Vermont | $3.78 | $5.21 |
| Montana | $3.71 | $4.45 |
| Connecticut | $3.56 | $5.27 |
| Nevada | $3.50 | $4.07 |
| New Mexico | $3.44 | $4.45 |
| Arizona | $3.37 | $3.97 |
| Utah | $3.37 | $4.51 |
| Wyoming | $3.37 | $4.80 |
| Florida | $3.33 | $5.42 |
| Colorado | $3.19 | $5.03 |
Flatbed rates on major lanes
| Lane | Estimate | Per mile |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA → Dallas, TX | $6,497 | $4.41 |
| Chicago, IL → Atlanta, GA | $3,721 | $5.38 |
| Dallas, TX → Houston, TX | $1,438 | $5.47 |
| Atlanta, GA → Miami, FL | $3,667 | $5.12 |
| Los Angeles, CA → Phoenix, AZ | $2,833 | $6.59 |
| Chicago, IL → Dallas, TX | $4,097 | $4.35 |
| New York, NY → Chicago, IL | $2,984 | $3.52 |
| Seattle, WA → Los Angeles, CA | $4,651 | $4.10 |
| Houston, TX → Atlanta, GA | $3,303 | $4.00 |
| Memphis, TN → Chicago, IL | $2,246 | $3.95 |
| Columbus, OH → New York, NY | $3,503 | $6.20 |
| Denver, CO → Dallas, TX | $2,141 | $2.75 |
| Los Angeles, CA → Seattle, WA | $5,070 | $4.47 |
| Charlotte, NC → Philadelphia, PA | $2,517 | $4.69 |
| Kansas City, MO → Denver, CO | $3,889 | $5.97 |
About the 48' flatbed
- Deck
- 48 ft × 8.5 ft, 60 in deck height
- Payload
- 48,000 lb
- Pallet positions
- Open deck
- Typical freight
- Steel, lumber, machinery, building materials
Annual averages
| Year | Average | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | $3.93 | $3.61 | $4.27 |
| 2025 | $3.57 | $3.50 | $3.60 |
| 2024 | $3.60 | $3.58 | $3.64 |
| 2023 | $3.77 | $3.66 | $3.89 |
| 2022 | $3.86 | $3.54 | $4.00 |
| 2021 | $3.24 | $2.99 | $3.47 |
| 2020 | $2.94 | $2.89 | $3.00 |
| 2019 | $3.00 | $2.98 | $3.03 |
| 2018 | $3.01 | $2.95 | $3.06 |
| 2017 | $2.87 | $2.83 | $2.93 |
| 2016 | $2.82 | $2.77 | $2.87 |
| 2015 | $2.84 | $2.80 | $2.86 |
| 2014 | $2.89 | $2.88 | $2.90 |
| 2013 | $2.88 | $2.87 | $2.89 |
| 2012 | $2.87 | $2.85 | $2.88 |
| 2011 | $2.83 | $2.76 | $2.86 |
| 2010 | $2.70 | $2.66 | $2.73 |
| 2009 | $2.64 | $2.61 | $2.69 |
| 2008 | $2.88 | $2.76 | $3.01 |
| 2007 | $2.68 | $2.64 | $2.75 |
| 2006 | $2.63 | $2.59 | $2.68 |
| 2005 | $2.51 | $2.43 | $2.62 |
| 2004 | $2.37 | $2.33 | $2.42 |
| 2003 | $2.33 | $2.33 | $2.33 |
Compare truck types
| Truck type | Per mile | 1 mo | 1 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAN53' dry van | $3.49 | +5.4% | +25.1% | |
| REEF53' refrigerated | $4.16 | −0.2% | +35.9% | |
| FLAT48' flatbed | $4.27 | +3.4% | +18.6% | |
| STEPStep deck | $4.66 | +3.3% | +18.6% | |
| PWRPower only | $3.05 | +5.5% | +25.0% | |
| HOTHotshot | $2.30 | +3.1% | +18.6% | |
| BOX26' box truck | $2.27 | +3.2% | +17.6% | |
| SPRTSprinter van | $1.40 | +3.7% | +17.6% |
Flatbed rate questions
What is the average flatbed rate per mile?
The Lane Cost Index puts the national average 48' flatbed rate at $4.27 per mile all-in for a 750-mile full load in October 2026. Short hauls cost more per mile and long hauls less, because pickup, delivery and wait time are spread over fewer or more miles.
Are flatbed rates going up or down?
They are up 3.4% over the past month, up 8.7% over three months and up 18.6% over twelve months.
How much does it cost to ship a 48' flatbed load 500 miles?
Use the calculator for an estimate on your exact lane. As a guide, per-mile cost at 500 miles runs higher than the $4.27 national figure, which is quoted at 750 miles.
What does a 48' flatbed carry?
An open 48-foot deck loaded from the side or by crane, tarped when needed. Deck: 48 ft × 8.5 ft, 60 in deck height. Legal payload is about 48,000 lb. Typical freight: steel, lumber, machinery, building materials.
Where do these numbers come from?
Rate levels are fitted to live all-in truckload quotes. Month-to-month history follows US Bureau of Labor Statistics trucking price indexes, and the fuel portion comes from Energy Information Administration diesel prices. They are estimates, not quotes.