STEP · national · Oct 2026
Step deck rates per mile
A drop-deck flatbed whose lower main deck carries freight up to 10 feet tall.
$4.66/mi
+3.3% from last month
- 3 months
- +8.6%
- 1 year
- +18.6%
- 52-week range
- $3.91–$4.66
- Fuel per mile
- $1.01
Step deck · national · monthly since 2003
Step deck rate history
All-in rateFuel cost per mile
Step deck freight in the United States averaged $4.66 a mile all-in in October 2026, up 3.3% 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 $1.01 of each mile at current diesel prices.
Price a step deck load
Step deck rates by state
| State | Outbound | Inbound |
|---|---|---|
| California | $6.40 | $3.93 |
| Oregon | $6.29 | $3.93 |
| Washington | $5.86 | $3.92 |
| Illinois | $5.77 | $3.87 |
| Minnesota | $5.62 | $4.35 |
| Nebraska | $5.61 | $3.95 |
| Michigan | $5.60 | $4.07 |
| Indiana | $5.56 | $4.03 |
| North Dakota | $5.55 | $4.45 |
| South Dakota | $5.55 | $4.15 |
| Wisconsin | $5.55 | $4.05 |
| Kansas | $5.51 | $4.07 |
| Ohio | $5.48 | $4.11 |
| Missouri | $5.30 | $3.91 |
| Iowa | $5.29 | $3.95 |
| Alabama | $4.98 | $4.62 |
| New York | $4.79 | $5.27 |
| Mississippi | $4.78 | $4.65 |
| Tennessee | $4.77 | $4.47 |
| Kentucky | $4.71 | $4.25 |
| New Jersey | $4.71 | $4.93 |
| Arkansas | $4.65 | $4.15 |
| Maryland | $4.61 | $5.12 |
| District of Columbia | $4.59 | $5.36 |
| Virginia | $4.59 | $5.23 |
| West Virginia | $4.59 | $5.11 |
| Louisiana | $4.56 | $4.48 |
| Delaware | $4.53 | $5.11 |
| Oklahoma | $4.52 | $4.51 |
| Texas | $4.51 | $4.06 |
| Idaho | $4.41 | $4.85 |
| Maine | $4.40 | $5.92 |
| Georgia | $4.34 | $4.63 |
| North Carolina | $4.28 | $4.70 |
| New Hampshire | $4.27 | $5.69 |
| Pennsylvania | $4.25 | $5.01 |
| South Carolina | $4.25 | $4.79 |
| Rhode Island | $4.13 | $5.67 |
| Vermont | $4.13 | $5.69 |
| Massachusetts | $4.12 | $5.43 |
| Montana | $4.05 | $4.85 |
| Connecticut | $3.89 | $5.76 |
| Nevada | $3.82 | $4.45 |
| New Mexico | $3.75 | $4.85 |
| Arizona | $3.68 | $4.33 |
| Utah | $3.68 | $4.93 |
| Wyoming | $3.68 | $5.24 |
| Florida | $3.63 | $5.92 |
| Colorado | $3.48 | $5.49 |
Step deck rates on major lanes
| Lane | Estimate | Per mile |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA → Dallas, TX | $7,076 | $4.80 |
| Chicago, IL → Atlanta, GA | $4,065 | $5.88 |
| Dallas, TX → Houston, TX | $1,580 | $6.01 |
| Atlanta, GA → Miami, FL | $4,005 | $5.59 |
| Los Angeles, CA → Phoenix, AZ | $3,104 | $7.22 |
| Chicago, IL → Dallas, TX | $4,470 | $4.75 |
| New York, NY → Chicago, IL | $3,257 | $3.85 |
| Seattle, WA → Los Angeles, CA | $5,070 | $4.47 |
| Houston, TX → Atlanta, GA | $3,605 | $4.36 |
| Memphis, TN → Chicago, IL | $2,457 | $4.33 |
| Columbus, OH → New York, NY | $3,832 | $6.78 |
| Denver, CO → Dallas, TX | $2,338 | $3.00 |
| Los Angeles, CA → Seattle, WA | $5,527 | $4.87 |
| Charlotte, NC → Philadelphia, PA | $2,753 | $5.13 |
| Kansas City, MO → Denver, CO | $4,251 | $6.52 |
About the Step deck
- Deck
- 11 ft upper + 37 ft lower deck, 42 in deck height
- Payload
- 46,000 lb
- Pallet positions
- Open deck
- Typical freight
- Tall machinery, tractors, crated equipment
Annual averages
| Year | Average | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | $4.29 | $3.94 | $4.66 |
| 2025 | $3.89 | $3.82 | $3.93 |
| 2024 | $3.93 | $3.91 | $3.98 |
| 2023 | $4.11 | $4.00 | $4.25 |
| 2022 | $4.21 | $3.87 | $4.37 |
| 2021 | $3.54 | $3.27 | $3.79 |
| 2020 | $3.21 | $3.16 | $3.28 |
| 2019 | $3.28 | $3.26 | $3.31 |
| 2018 | $3.29 | $3.22 | $3.35 |
| 2017 | $3.13 | $3.09 | $3.20 |
| 2016 | $3.07 | $3.03 | $3.13 |
| 2015 | $3.10 | $3.06 | $3.12 |
| 2014 | $3.16 | $3.15 | $3.16 |
| 2013 | $3.14 | $3.14 | $3.15 |
| 2012 | $3.13 | $3.11 | $3.15 |
| 2011 | $3.09 | $3.01 | $3.12 |
| 2010 | $2.95 | $2.90 | $2.98 |
| 2009 | $2.88 | $2.85 | $2.93 |
| 2008 | $3.15 | $3.01 | $3.29 |
| 2007 | $2.92 | $2.88 | $3.00 |
| 2006 | $2.88 | $2.83 | $2.93 |
| 2005 | $2.74 | $2.65 | $2.86 |
| 2004 | $2.59 | $2.55 | $2.64 |
| 2003 | $2.55 | $2.55 | $2.55 |
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% |
Step deck rate questions
What is the average step deck rate per mile?
The Lane Cost Index puts the national average Step deck rate at $4.66 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 step deck rates going up or down?
They are up 3.3% over the past month, up 8.6% over three months and up 18.6% over twelve months.
How much does it cost to ship a Step deck 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 $4.66 national figure, which is quoted at 750 miles.
What does a Step deck carry?
A drop-deck flatbed whose lower main deck carries freight up to 10 feet tall. Deck: 11 ft upper + 37 ft lower deck, 42 in deck height. Legal payload is about 46,000 lb. Typical freight: tall machinery, tractors, crated equipment.
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.