Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Central, LA flatbed rate

$4,526flatbed

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $4.79
Distance: 945 mi
Typical range: $3,893–$5,160
Transit: 2 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Central price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,603
Fuel: $923
All-in estimate: $4,526

Return trip

Central → Chicago$3,089

This direction runs 47% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in LA prices below it.

Chicago to Central by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Central, LA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,722	$3.94	$3,312 – $4,131
53' refrigerated	$4,437	$4.70	$3,860 – $5,014
48' flatbed	$4,526	$4.79	$3,893 – $5,160
Step deck	$4,938	$5.23	$4,148 – $5,728
Power only	$3,270	$3.46	$2,845 – $3,696
Hotshot	$2,467	$2.61	$2,048 – $2,887
26' box truck	$2,425	$2.57	$2,061 – $2,788
Sprinter van	$1,489	$1.58	$1,251 – $1,727

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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

48' flatbed lanes from Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$4,905	$5.79	$4,218 – $5,592	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$7,559	$3.66	$6,500 – $8,617	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$4,642	$4.20	$3,992 – $5,291	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$7,071	$4.15	$6,081 – $8,061	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$4,421	$5.62	$3,802 – $5,040	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$5,073	$4.10	$4,363 – $5,783	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$7,466	$3.67	$6,420 – $8,511	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$4,097	$4.35	$3,524 – $4,671	2 d

More lanes into Central

48' flatbed lanes into Central, LA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,397 mi	$5,123	$3.67	$4,405 – $5,840	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,902 mi	$8,896	$4.68	$7,650 – $10,141	4 d
Houston, TX	313 mi	$1,728	$5.52	$1,486 – $1,970	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,473 mi	$4,113	$2.79	$3,537 – $4,688	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,306 mi	$4,304	$3.30	$3,701 – $4,906	3 d
San Antonio, TX	536 mi	$2,365	$4.41	$2,034 – $2,696	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,815 mi	$8,543	$4.71	$7,347 – $9,739	4 d
Dallas, TX	437 mi	$2,082	$4.76	$1,791 – $2,374	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Central, LA?

A 48' flatbed from Chicago, IL to Central, LA is estimated at $4,526 all-in in October 2026, or $4.79 a mile over about 945 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,893 and $5,160.

How far is Chicago, IL from Central, LA by truck?

About 945 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 $923 of the $4,526 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,603 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Central, LA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,089, which makes Chicago, IL to Central, LA 47% 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