Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Ames, IA to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$2,072step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $5.76
Distance: 360 mi
Typical range: $1,740–$2,403
Transit: 1 day

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Step deck · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Ames to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,709
Fuel: $363
All-in estimate: $2,072

Return trip

Chicago → Ames$2,309

This direction runs 10% below the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Ames to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Ames, IA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,511	$4.20	$1,345 – $1,677
53' refrigerated	$1,804	$5.01	$1,570 – $2,039
48' flatbed	$1,889	$5.25	$1,625 – $2,154
Step deck	$2,072	$5.76	$1,740 – $2,403
Power only	$1,297	$3.60	$1,128 – $1,466
Hotshot	$977	$2.71	$811 – $1,143
26' box truck	$972	$2.70	$826 – $1,118
Sprinter van	$604	$1.68	$508 – $701

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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 Ames

Step deck lanes from Ames, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,207 mi	$6,451	$5.34	$5,418 – $7,483	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,713 mi	$6,423	$3.75	$5,395 – $7,451	4 d
Houston, TX	1,005 mi	$4,306	$4.28	$3,617 – $4,995	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,371 mi	$5,882	$4.29	$4,941 – $6,823	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,147 mi	$5,892	$5.14	$4,950 – $6,835	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,074 mi	$4,534	$4.22	$3,809 – $5,260	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,690 mi	$6,350	$3.76	$5,334 – $7,366	4 d
Dallas, TX	780 mi	$3,563	$4.57	$2,993 – $4,134	2 d

More lanes into Chicago

Step deck lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$3,257	$3.85	$2,736 – $3,778	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,973	$4.35	$7,537 – $10,408	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,759	$3.40	$3,158 – $4,361	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$4,375	$2.57	$3,675 – $5,075	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,741	$3.48	$2,302 – $3,179	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$4,107	$3.32	$3,450 – $4,764	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,863	$4.36	$7,445 – $10,281	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$3,321	$3.53	$2,789 – $3,852	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Ames, IA to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Ames, IA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,072 all-in in October 2026, or $5.76 a mile over about 360 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,740 and $2,403.

How far is Ames, IA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 360 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 1 day of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $363 of the $2,072 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,709 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Ames, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,309, which makes Ames, IA to Chicago, IL 10% cheaper. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Lane history applies the current origin and destination adjustments to the national series back to December 2003. Methodology