Lane · VAN · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Columbia Falls, MT freight rate

$6,252dry van

+5.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.89
Distance: 1,606 mi
Typical range: $5,564–$6,939
Transit: 4 days

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

Chicago to Columbia Falls price history

3 months: +14.1%
1 year: +24.7%
5 years: +32.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $4,775
Fuel: $1,477
All-in estimate: $6,252

Return trip

Columbia Falls → Chicago$3,496

This direction runs 79% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in MT prices above it.

Chicago to Columbia Falls by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Columbia Falls, MT by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,252	$3.89	$5,564 – $6,939
53' refrigerated	$7,448	$4.64	$6,480 – $8,416
48' flatbed	$7,523	$4.68	$6,470 – $8,576
Step deck	$8,191	$5.10	$6,880 – $9,501
Power only	$5,541	$3.45	$4,820 – $6,261
Hotshot	$4,183	$2.60	$3,471 – $4,894
26' box truck	$4,092	$2.55	$3,478 – $4,706
Sprinter van	$2,501	$1.56	$2,101 – $2,901

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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 Columbia Falls

53' dry van lanes into Columbia Falls, MT
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,393 mi	$7,373	$3.08	$6,562 – $8,184	5 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,198 mi	$5,409	$4.52	$4,814 – $6,004	3 d
Houston, TX	1,916 mi	$5,692	$2.97	$5,066 – $6,318	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,213 mi	$3,141	$2.59	$2,795 – $3,486	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,354 mi	$6,451	$2.74	$5,741 – $7,161	5 d
San Antonio, TX	1,826 mi	$5,456	$2.99	$4,856 – $6,056	4 d
San Diego, CA	1,281 mi	$5,718	$4.46	$5,089 – $6,347	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,658 mi	$5,016	$3.03	$4,464 – $5,567	4 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Columbia Falls, MT?

A 53' dry van from Chicago, IL to Columbia Falls, MT is estimated at $6,252 all-in in October 2026, or $3.89 a mile over about 1,606 mi. Quotes typically land between $5,564 and $6,939.

How far is Chicago, IL from Columbia Falls, MT by truck?

About 1,606 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 4 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,477 of the $6,252 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $4,775 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Columbia Falls, MT to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,496, which makes Chicago, IL to Columbia Falls, MT 79% 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