Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Bowling Green, KY to Chicago, IL reefer rate

$1,720reefer

−0.2% from last month

Per mile: $4.26
Distance: 404 mi
Typical range: $1,497–$1,944
Transit: 1 day

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Bowling Green to Chicago price history

3 months: +1.9%
1 year: +36.0%
5 years: +3.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,306
Fuel: $414
All-in estimate: $1,720

Return trip

Chicago → Bowling Green$2,316

This direction runs 26% below the return trip. Leaving KY prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Bowling Green to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Bowling Green, KY to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,441	$3.57	$1,282 – $1,599
53' refrigerated	$1,720	$4.26	$1,497 – $1,944
48' flatbed	$1,795	$4.44	$1,544 – $2,046
Step deck	$1,967	$4.87	$1,652 – $2,282
Power only	$1,241	$3.07	$1,080 – $1,402
Hotshot	$935	$2.31	$776 – $1,094
26' box truck	$929	$2.30	$789 – $1,068
Sprinter van	$576	$1.43	$484 – $669

Live market check

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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 Bowling Green

53' refrigerated lanes from Bowling Green, KY
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	848 mi	$3,917	$4.62	$3,408 – $4,426	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,126 mi	$6,295	$2.96	$5,477 – $7,113	4 d
Houston, TX	845 mi	$3,012	$3.56	$2,620 – $3,403	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,725 mi	$5,776	$3.35	$5,025 – $6,527	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	762 mi	$3,437	$4.51	$2,990 – $3,884	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,026 mi	$3,506	$3.42	$3,051 – $3,962	2 d
San Diego, CA	2,072 mi	$6,152	$2.97	$5,352 – $6,952	4 d
Dallas, TX	770 mi	$2,807	$3.65	$2,442 – $3,172	2 d

More lanes into Chicago

53' refrigerated lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,918	$3.44	$2,538 – $3,297	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,194	$3.97	$7,129 – $9,260	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,391	$3.07	$2,950 – $3,832	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$3,983	$2.34	$3,465 – $4,500	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,450	$3.11	$2,132 – $2,769	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$3,715	$3.01	$3,232 – $4,197	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,092	$3.98	$7,040 – $9,144	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$2,983	$3.17	$2,595 – $3,371	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Bowling Green, KY to Chicago, IL?

A 53' refrigerated from Bowling Green, KY to Chicago, IL is estimated at $1,720 all-in in October 2026, or $4.26 a mile over about 404 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,497 and $1,944.

How far is Bowling Green, KY from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 404 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 $414 of the $1,720 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,306 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Bowling Green, KY?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,316, which makes Bowling Green, KY to Chicago, IL 26% 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 →