Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Carmel, IN to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$1,582step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $8.79
Distance: 180 mi
Typical range: $1,329–$1,835
Transit: 1 day

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

Carmel to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,400
Fuel: $182
All-in estimate: $1,582

Return trip

Chicago → Carmel$1,710

This direction runs 8% below the return trip. Leaving IN prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Carmel to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Carmel, IN to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,123	$6.24	$999 – $1,246
53' refrigerated	$1,342	$7.46	$1,168 – $1,517
48' flatbed	$1,437	$7.98	$1,235 – $1,638
Step deck	$1,582	$8.79	$1,329 – $1,835
Power only	$944	$5.25	$822 – $1,067
Hotshot	$711	$3.95	$590 – $832
26' box truck	$715	$3.97	$607 – $822
Sprinter van	$449	$2.49	$377 – $521

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 Carmel

Step deck lanes from Carmel, IN
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	761 mi	$4,768	$6.27	$4,005 – $5,531	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,144 mi	$8,190	$3.82	$6,880 – $9,501	5 d
Houston, TX	1,033 mi	$4,620	$4.47	$3,880 – $5,359	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,765 mi	$7,634	$4.33	$6,412 – $8,855	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	688 mi	$4,224	$6.14	$3,548 – $4,900	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,190 mi	$5,164	$4.34	$4,338 – $5,990	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,104 mi	$8,056	$3.83	$6,767 – $9,345	5 d
Dallas, TX	909 mi	$4,190	$4.61	$3,519 – $4,860	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 Carmel, IN to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Carmel, IN to Chicago, IL is estimated at $1,582 all-in in October 2026, or $8.79 a mile over about 180 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,329 and $1,835.

How far is Carmel, IN from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 180 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 $182 of the $1,582 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,400 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Carmel, IN?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,710, which makes Carmel, IN to Chicago, IL 8% 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