Lane · HOT · Oct 2026

Carlsbad, CA to Chicago, IL hotshot rate

$4,551hotshot

+3.2% from last month

Per mile: $2.24
Distance: 2,030 mi
Typical range: $3,777–$5,325
Transit: 4 days

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Hotshot · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Carlsbad to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.5%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,282
Fuel: $1,269
All-in estimate: $4,551

Return trip

Chicago → Carlsbad$4,171

This direction runs 9% above the return trip. Leaving CA prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Carlsbad to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Carlsbad, CA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,782	$3.34	$6,036 – $7,528
53' refrigerated	$8,078	$3.98	$7,028 – $9,128
48' flatbed	$8,131	$4.01	$6,993 – $9,270
Step deck	$8,847	$4.36	$7,432 – $10,263
Power only	$6,028	$2.97	$5,244 – $6,811
Hotshot	$4,551	$2.24	$3,777 – $5,325
26' box truck	$4,446	$2.19	$3,779 – $5,113
Sprinter van	$2,713	$1.34	$2,279 – $3,147

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 Carlsbad

Hotshot lanes from Carlsbad, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,862 mi	$8,489	$2.97	$7,046 – $9,932	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	105 mi	$677	$6.45	$562 – $792	1 d
Houston, TX	1,544 mi	$3,751	$2.43	$3,113 – $4,389	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	356 mi	$1,314	$3.69	$1,091 – $1,538	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,790 mi	$7,888	$2.83	$6,547 – $9,229	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,339 mi	$3,316	$2.48	$2,753 – $3,880	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,402 mi	$3,450	$2.46	$2,863 – $4,036	3 d
Jacksonville, FL	2,469 mi	$8,319	$3.37	$6,905 – $9,733	5 d

More lanes into Chicago

Hotshot lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$1,619	$1.91	$1,343 – $1,894	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$4,618	$2.24	$3,833 – $5,403	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$1,892	$1.71	$1,570 – $2,214	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$2,238	$1.31	$1,858 – $2,619	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$1,357	$1.72	$1,126 – $1,588	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$2,077	$1.68	$1,724 – $2,430	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$4,559	$2.24	$3,784 – $5,334	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$1,659	$1.76	$1,377 – $1,941	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Carlsbad, CA to Chicago, IL?

A Hotshot from Carlsbad, CA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $4,551 all-in in October 2026, or $2.24 a mile over about 2,030 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,777 and $5,325.

How far is Carlsbad, CA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 2,030 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 4 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,269 of the $4,551 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,282 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Carlsbad, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,171, which makes Carlsbad, CA to Chicago, IL 9% more expensive. 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 →