Lane · VAN · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Ames, IA freight rate

$1,684dry van

+5.6% from last month

Per mile: $4.68
Distance: 360 mi
Typical range: $1,498–$1,869
Transit: 1 day

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Dry van · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Ames price history

3 months: +14.2%
1 year: +25.2%
5 years: +33.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,353
Fuel: $331
All-in estimate: $1,684

Return trip

Ames → Chicago$1,511

This direction runs 11% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in IA prices below it.

Chicago to Ames by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Ames, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,684	$4.68	$1,498 – $1,869
53' refrigerated	$2,011	$5.58	$1,749 – $2,272
48' flatbed	$2,105	$5.85	$1,811 – $2,400
Step deck	$2,309	$6.41	$1,939 – $2,678
Power only	$1,445	$4.02	$1,258 – $1,633
Hotshot	$1,089	$3.02	$904 – $1,274
26' box truck	$1,083	$3.01	$921 – $1,246
Sprinter van	$673	$1.87	$566 – $781

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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 Chicago

53' dry van lanes from Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$4,023	$4.75	$3,580 – $4,465	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$6,306	$3.06	$5,612 – $6,999	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,830	$3.46	$3,409 – $4,251	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$5,882	$3.45	$5,235 – $6,529	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$3,619	$4.60	$3,221 – $4,017	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$4,196	$3.39	$3,734 – $4,657	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$6,227	$3.06	$5,542 – $6,912	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$3,369	$3.58	$2,998 – $3,739	2 d

More lanes into Ames

53' dry van lanes into Ames, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,207 mi	$3,316	$2.75	$2,952 – $3,681	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,713 mi	$5,968	$3.48	$5,311 – $6,624	4 d
Houston, TX	1,005 mi	$2,691	$2.68	$2,395 – $2,987	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,371 mi	$2,834	$2.07	$2,522 – $3,145	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,147 mi	$2,824	$2.46	$2,514 – $3,135	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,074 mi	$2,839	$2.64	$2,526 – $3,151	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,690 mi	$5,898	$3.49	$5,249 – $6,547	4 d
Dallas, TX	780 mi	$2,211	$2.83	$1,968 – $2,454	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Ames, IA?

A 53' dry van from Chicago, IL to Ames, IA is estimated at $1,684 all-in in October 2026, or $4.68 a mile over about 360 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,498 and $1,869.

How far is Chicago, IL from Ames, IA by truck?

About 360 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 $331 of the $1,684 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,353 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Ames, IA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,511, which makes Chicago, IL to Ames, IA 11% more expensive. 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