Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Council Bluffs, IA flatbed rate

$2,561flatbed

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $5.11
Distance: 501 mi
Typical range: $2,202–$2,919
Transit: 2 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Council Bluffs price history

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

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,072
Fuel: $489
All-in estimate: $2,561

Return trip

Council Bluffs → Chicago$2,298

This direction runs 11% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in IA prices below it.

Chicago to Council Bluffs by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Council Bluffs, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,069	$4.13	$1,842 – $2,297
53' refrigerated	$2,470	$4.93	$2,149 – $2,791
48' flatbed	$2,561	$5.11	$2,202 – $2,919
Step deck	$2,803	$5.59	$2,354 – $3,251
Power only	$1,793	$3.58	$1,560 – $2,026
Hotshot	$1,351	$2.70	$1,122 – $1,581
26' box truck	$1,338	$2.67	$1,137 – $1,539
Sprinter van	$828	$1.65	$695 – $960

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

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 Council Bluffs

48' flatbed lanes into Council Bluffs, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,347 mi	$4,386	$3.26	$3,772 – $5,001	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,565 mi	$6,644	$4.25	$5,714 – $7,574	4 d
Houston, TX	934 mi	$3,090	$3.31	$2,657 – $3,522	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,220 mi	$3,109	$2.55	$2,674 – $3,544	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,283 mi	$3,743	$2.92	$3,219 – $4,267	3 d
San Antonio, TX	976 mi	$3,195	$3.27	$2,748 – $3,643	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,540 mi	$6,555	$4.26	$5,637 – $7,472	4 d
Dallas, TX	691 mi	$2,477	$3.59	$2,130 – $2,824	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Council Bluffs, IA?

A 48' flatbed from Chicago, IL to Council Bluffs, IA is estimated at $2,561 all-in in October 2026, or $5.11 a mile over about 501 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,202 and $2,919.

How far is Chicago, IL from Council Bluffs, IA by truck?

About 501 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 $489 of the $2,561 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,072 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Council Bluffs, IA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,298, which makes Chicago, IL to Council Bluffs, IA 11% 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 →