Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Charlotte, NC to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$2,525step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.63
Distance: 695 mi
Typical range: $2,121–$2,929
Transit: 2 days

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

Charlotte to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,824
Fuel: $701
All-in estimate: $2,525

Return trip

Chicago → Charlotte$4,143

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

Charlotte to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Charlotte, NC to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,886	$2.71	$1,678 – $2,093
53' refrigerated	$2,249	$3.24	$1,957 – $2,541
48' flatbed	$2,311	$3.33	$1,988 – $2,635
Step deck	$2,525	$3.63	$2,121 – $2,929
Power only	$1,646	$2.37	$1,432 – $1,860
Hotshot	$1,242	$1.79	$1,031 – $1,453
26' box truck	$1,224	$1.76	$1,041 – $1,408
Sprinter van	$754	$1.09	$634 – $875

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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 Charlotte

Step deck lanes from Charlotte, NC
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	627 mi	$3,205	$5.11	$2,693 – $3,718	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,508 mi	$7,241	$2.89	$6,083 – $8,400	6 d
Houston, TX	1,093 mi	$3,715	$3.40	$3,120 – $4,309	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,099 mi	$6,825	$3.25	$5,733 – $7,916	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	537 mi	$2,753	$5.13	$2,313 – $3,194	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,303 mi	$4,275	$3.28	$3,591 – $4,959	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,448 mi	$7,086	$2.89	$5,953 – $8,220	6 d
Dallas, TX	1,094 mi	$3,717	$3.40	$3,123 – $4,312	3 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 Charlotte, NC to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Charlotte, NC to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,525 all-in in October 2026, or $3.63 a mile over about 695 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,121 and $2,929.

How far is Charlotte, NC from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 695 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 2 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $701 of the $2,525 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,824 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Charlotte, NC?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,143, which makes Charlotte, NC 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