Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Central, LA to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$3,370step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $3.57
Distance: 945 mi
Typical range: $2,831–$3,909
Transit: 3 days

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

Central to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +19.0%
5 years: +25.3%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,417
Fuel: $953
All-in estimate: $3,370

Return trip

Chicago → Central$4,938

This direction runs 32% below the return trip. Leaving LA prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Central to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Central, LA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,540	$2.69	$2,261 – $2,819
53' refrigerated	$3,028	$3.20	$2,634 – $3,422
48' flatbed	$3,089	$3.27	$2,657 – $3,521
Step deck	$3,370	$3.57	$2,831 – $3,909
Power only	$2,232	$2.36	$1,942 – $2,522
Hotshot	$1,684	$1.78	$1,398 – $1,970
26' box truck	$1,655	$1.75	$1,407 – $1,903
Sprinter van	$1,016	$1.08	$853 – $1,179

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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 Central

Step deck lanes from Central, LA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,397 mi	$6,260	$4.48	$5,259 – $7,262	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,902 mi	$6,055	$3.18	$5,086 – $7,024	5 d
Houston, TX	313 mi	$1,742	$5.57	$1,463 – $2,021	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,473 mi	$5,378	$3.65	$4,518 – $6,239	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,306 mi	$5,636	$4.32	$4,734 – $6,538	3 d
San Antonio, TX	536 mi	$2,377	$4.43	$1,996 – $2,757	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,815 mi	$5,816	$3.20	$4,885 – $6,747	4 d
Dallas, TX	437 mi	$2,095	$4.79	$1,760 – $2,430	1 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 Central, LA to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Central, LA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $3,370 all-in in October 2026, or $3.57 a mile over about 945 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,831 and $3,909.

How far is Central, LA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 945 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 3 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $953 of the $3,370 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,417 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Central, LA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,938, which makes Central, LA to Chicago, IL 32% 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