Texas to California LTL Freight Rates
Real LTL costs, transit times and carriers from Texas to California, drawn from 1,441 shipments Armstrong Transport Group arranged from September 2025 – August 2026. Use it to budget, then get a live quote across 50+ carriers.
What LTL shipping costs from Texas to California
These are the all-in rates Armstrong customers actually paid from Texas to California from September 2025 – August 2026, including fuel and any accessorials. The range is the middle 50% of shipments in each weight bracket, so a quarter paid less and a quarter paid more, mostly because of freight class, accessorials and timing.
| Shipment weight | Typical range | Median | Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 500 lb | $305 – $580 | $395 | 487 |
| 500–999 lb | $375 – $775 | $500 | 323 |
| 1,000–2,499 lb | $550 – $1,365 | $785 | 334 |
| 2,500–4,999 lb | $755 – $1,650 | $1,050 | 155 |
| 5,000–9,999 lb | $1,050 – $1,875 | $1,375 | 98 |
Historical rates, rounded to $5, shown for budgeting only. They aren’t a quote: your price depends on exact ZIPs, freight class, pickup date and accessorials. See national pallet shipping costs for comparison.
Transit time and carriers from Texas to California
The median LTL shipment from Texas to California delivered in 4 business days after pickup, and 80% arrived within 6 business days (based on 1,434 delivered shipments). Standard LTL transit is an estimate, not a promise; if a delivery date matters, ask for a guaranteed service. More on how LTL transit times work.
No single carrier wins every shipment. Southeastern Freight Lines, AAA Cooper Transportation and Old Dominion (ODFL) moved 42% of the freight we arranged from Texas to California; the rest went to FedEx Freight and Forward LTL and other national and regional carriers, depending on which one priced each shipment best.
| Carrier | Share of shipments |
|---|---|
| Southeastern Freight Lines | 26% |
| AAA Cooper Transportation | 8% |
| Old Dominion (ODFL) | 8% |
| FedEx Freight | 7% |
| Forward LTL | 7% |
What ships from Texas to California
The median shipment weighed 790 lb at a median freight class of 100. The most common classes were class 100 (15%), class 250 (14%) and class 175 (14%). Lighter, bulkier freight rates in higher classes and costs more per pound, which is why measuring density before you quote matters.
By type of shipper, the biggest groups were furniture (33%), plastics & packaging (13%), household goods (12%) and industrial machinery & equipment (10%), among shipments where the shipper’s industry is known.
Where the freight goes
Most Texas pickups came from Carrollton, TX, Houston, TX, Grand Prairie, TX and Brownsville, TX, and the most common California delivery cities were Vacaville, CA, Sacramento, CA, Santa Clara, CA and San Diego, CA. These were the highest-volume city pairs shipped by several different customers:
| Origin | Destination | Shipments |
|---|---|---|
| Carrollton, TX | San Diego, CA | 17 |
| Grapevine, TX | San Diego, CA | 13 |
| Houston, TX | Perris, CA | 11 |
| Houston, TX | San Diego, CA | 6 |
| Houston, TX | El Cajon, CA | 5 |
| Dallas, TX | Los Angeles, CA | 4 |
Shipping between Texas and California
Texas is one of the busiest LTL states in the country. Dallas–Fort Worth and Houston are two of the largest freight markets in the U.S., I-35 carries cross-border freight from Laredo, and the Rio Grande Valley brings produce and manufactured goods north from Mexico. Distances inside Texas are long, so an intrastate move can still take two days.
California is the largest LTL market in the country. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach feed dense warehouse clusters in the Inland Empire and the South Bay, while the Bay Area, Sacramento and the Central Valley add food, beverage and manufacturing freight. Many California deliveries are to congested or limited-access sites, so check accessorials carefully.
Carrier pricing is contract-specific, so two shippers moving identical freight from Texas to California routinely pay different amounts. GetLTLRates quotes tariff, dynamic and volume LTL pricing from 50+ carriers side by side, and a dedicated Armstrong team handles pickup, tracking and the final invoice so the rate you book is the rate you pay.
Price your Texas to California shipment
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Get my free rates →Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to ship a pallet from Texas to California?
For a 500–999 lb LTL shipment from Texas to California, the middle half of Armstrong customers paid $375 to $775 all-in, with a median of $500 (September 2025 – August 2026). Freight class, accessorials like liftgate or residential delivery, and the exact ZIP codes move the price, so get a quote for your shipment.
How long does LTL shipping take from Texas to California?
The median LTL shipment from Texas to California delivered in 4 business days after pickup, and 80% arrived within 6 business days. Transit is counted in business days, and standard LTL times are estimates; guaranteed services are available when a date matters.
Which LTL carriers run from Texas to California?
On the freight Armstrong arranged from Texas to California, the most-used carriers were Southeastern Freight Lines, AAA Cooper Transportation, Old Dominion (ODFL) and FedEx Freight. The cheapest carrier changes shipment by shipment, which is why quoting 50+ carriers at once usually beats calling one.
What affects the LTL rate from Texas to California?
The exact origin and destination ZIPs, total weight, freight class (mostly set by density), fuel surcharge, pickup and delivery accessorials, and whether the carrier has good backhaul on the lane. Heavier shipments cost more in total but much less per pound.
Related lanes
Figures are from LTL freight arranged through the Armstrong Transport Group network, September 2025 – August 2026. Price ranges are the middle 50% of all-in paid rates, rounded to $5, and are shown for budgeting only; they are not a quote or a guarantee of capacity or pricing. Transit is counted in business days from pickup to delivery.