Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Buffalo, NY to Chicago, IL reefer rate

$2,101reefer

0.0% from last month

Per mile: $3.91
Distance: 538 mi
Typical range: $1,828–$2,374
Transit: 1 day

Request a firm quote

Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Buffalo to Chicago price history

3 months: +1.8%
1 year: +36.3%
5 years: +3.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,550
Fuel: $551
All-in estimate: $2,101

Return trip

Chicago → Buffalo$3,454

This direction runs 39% below the return trip. Leaving NY prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Buffalo to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Buffalo, NY to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,761	$3.27	$1,567 – $1,955
53' refrigerated	$2,101	$3.91	$1,828 – $2,374
48' flatbed	$2,174	$4.04	$1,870 – $2,479
Step deck	$2,379	$4.42	$1,998 – $2,759
Power only	$1,528	$2.84	$1,330 – $1,727
Hotshot	$1,152	$2.14	$956 – $1,348
26' box truck	$1,140	$2.12	$969 – $1,311
Sprinter van	$704	$1.31	$592 – $817

Live market check

Get live dry van quotes on this lane

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.

Request a quote for reefer →

More lanes from Buffalo

53' refrigerated lanes from Buffalo, NY
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	350 mi	$2,187	$6.25	$1,902 – $2,471	1 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,601 mi	$7,669	$2.95	$6,672 – $8,666	5 d
Houston, TX	1,518 mi	$4,927	$3.25	$4,287 – $5,568	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,242 mi	$7,398	$3.30	$6,436 – $8,359	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	327 mi	$2,002	$6.12	$1,741 – $2,262	1 d
San Antonio, TX	1,688 mi	$5,399	$3.20	$4,697 – $6,101	4 d
San Diego, CA	2,572 mi	$7,591	$2.95	$6,604 – $8,578	5 d
Dallas, TX	1,412 mi	$4,633	$3.28	$4,031 – $5,235	3 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 Buffalo, NY to Chicago, IL?

A 53' refrigerated from Buffalo, NY to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,101 all-in in October 2026, or $3.91 a mile over about 538 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,828 and $2,374.

How far is Buffalo, NY from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 538 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 $551 of the $2,101 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,550 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Buffalo, NY?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,454, which makes Buffalo, NY to Chicago, IL 39% 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