Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Birmingham, AL reefer rate

$3,567reefer

−0.2% from last month

Per mile: $5.25
Distance: 680 mi
Typical range: $3,103–$4,031
Transit: 2 days

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Birmingham price history

3 months: +1.9%
1 year: +36.4%
5 years: +3.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,870
Fuel: $697
All-in estimate: $3,567

Return trip

Birmingham → Chicago$2,575

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

Chicago to Birmingham by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Birmingham, AL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,991	$4.40	$2,662 – $3,320
53' refrigerated	$3,567	$5.25	$3,103 – $4,031
48' flatbed	$3,668	$5.39	$3,154 – $4,181
Step deck	$4,008	$5.89	$3,366 – $4,649
Power only	$2,610	$3.84	$2,271 – $2,949
Hotshot	$1,968	$2.89	$1,634 – $2,303
26' box truck	$1,941	$2.85	$1,650 – $2,232
Sprinter van	$1,196	$1.76	$1,005 – $1,388

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 Chicago

53' refrigerated lanes from Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$4,796	$5.66	$4,173 – $5,420	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$7,511	$3.64	$6,534 – $8,487	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$4,565	$4.13	$3,972 – $5,158	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$7,007	$4.11	$6,096 – $7,918	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$4,315	$5.48	$3,754 – $4,876	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$5,000	$4.05	$4,350 – $5,650	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$7,417	$3.65	$6,453 – $8,381	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$4,016	$4.26	$3,494 – $4,538	2 d

More lanes into Birmingham

53' refrigerated lanes into Birmingham, AL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,017 mi	$4,020	$3.95	$3,497 – $4,542	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,134 mi	$10,083	$4.73	$8,773 – $11,394	4 d
Houston, TX	669 mi	$2,751	$4.11	$2,394 – $3,109	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,714 mi	$4,777	$2.79	$4,156 – $5,398	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	926 mi	$3,315	$3.58	$2,884 – $3,746	2 d
San Antonio, TX	879 mi	$3,375	$3.84	$2,936 – $3,814	2 d
San Diego, CA	2,064 mi	$9,788	$4.74	$8,516 – $11,061	4 d
Dallas, TX	683 mi	$2,793	$4.09	$2,430 – $3,156	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Birmingham, AL?

A 53' refrigerated from Chicago, IL to Birmingham, AL is estimated at $3,567 all-in in October 2026, or $5.25 a mile over about 680 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,103 and $4,031.

How far is Chicago, IL from Birmingham, AL by truck?

About 680 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 $697 of the $3,567 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,870 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Birmingham, AL to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,575, which makes Chicago, IL to Birmingham, AL 39% 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 →