Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Buffalo, NY step deck rate

$3,911step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $7.27
Distance: 538 mi
Typical range: $3,285–$4,536
Transit: 2 days

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

Chicago to Buffalo price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,368
Fuel: $543
All-in estimate: $3,911

Return trip

Buffalo → Chicago$2,379

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

Step deck lanes from Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$5,354	$6.32	$4,497 – $6,211	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,224	$3.99	$6,908 – $9,540	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$5,061	$4.58	$4,251 – $5,870	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$7,698	$4.51	$6,466 – $8,929	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$4,827	$6.13	$4,055 – $5,599	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$5,529	$4.47	$4,644 – $6,413	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,123	$3.99	$6,823 – $9,423	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$4,470	$4.75	$3,755 – $5,185	3 d

More lanes into Buffalo

Step deck lanes into Buffalo, NY
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	350 mi	$2,514	$7.18	$2,111 – $2,916	1 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,601 mi	$15,011	$5.77	$12,610 – $17,413	6 d
Houston, TX	1,518 mi	$6,625	$4.36	$5,565 – $7,685	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,242 mi	$7,559	$3.37	$6,349 – $8,768	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	327 mi	$2,153	$6.58	$1,809 – $2,498	1 d
San Antonio, TX	1,688 mi	$7,244	$4.29	$6,085 – $8,403	4 d
San Diego, CA	2,572 mi	$14,861	$5.78	$12,484 – $17,239	6 d
Dallas, TX	1,412 mi	$6,238	$4.42	$5,240 – $7,236	4 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to Buffalo, NY is estimated at $3,911 all-in in October 2026, or $7.27 a mile over about 538 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,285 and $4,536.

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 2 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $543 of the $3,911 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,368 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,379, 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