Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Buffalo, NY reefer rate

$3,454reefer

−0.1% from last month

Per mile: $6.42
Distance: 538 mi
Typical range: $3,005–$3,903
Transit: 1 day

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Buffalo price history

3 months: +1.7%
1 year: +36.0%
5 years: +3.5%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,903
Fuel: $551
All-in estimate: $3,454

Return trip

Buffalo → Chicago$2,101

This direction runs 64% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in NY prices above it.

Chicago to Buffalo by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Buffalo, NY by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,895	$5.38	$2,577 – $3,213
53' refrigerated	$3,454	$6.42	$3,005 – $3,903
48' flatbed	$3,575	$6.64	$3,074 – $4,075
Step deck	$3,911	$7.27	$3,285 – $4,536
Power only	$2,512	$4.67	$2,186 – $2,839
Hotshot	$1,894	$3.52	$1,572 – $2,216
26' box truck	$1,873	$3.48	$1,592 – $2,154
Sprinter van	$1,158	$2.15	$973 – $1,343

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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 Buffalo

53' refrigerated lanes into Buffalo, NY
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	350 mi	$2,187	$6.25	$1,902 – $2,471	1 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,601 mi	$13,755	$5.29	$11,967 – $15,543	5 d
Houston, TX	1,518 mi	$6,017	$3.96	$5,235 – $6,800	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,242 mi	$6,912	$3.08	$6,013 – $7,810	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	327 mi	$1,868	$5.71	$1,625 – $2,111	1 d
San Antonio, TX	1,688 mi	$6,593	$3.91	$5,736 – $7,451	4 d
San Diego, CA	2,572 mi	$13,616	$5.29	$11,846 – $15,386	5 d
Dallas, TX	1,412 mi	$5,658	$4.01	$4,923 – $6,394	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Buffalo, NY?

A 53' refrigerated from Chicago, IL to Buffalo, NY is estimated at $3,454 all-in in October 2026, or $6.42 a mile over about 538 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,005 and $3,903.

How far is Chicago, IL from Buffalo, NY by truck?

About 538 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 $551 of the $3,454 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,903 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Buffalo, NY to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,101, which makes Chicago, IL to Buffalo, NY 64% 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