Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Des Moines, IA step deck rate

$2,312step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $6.41
Distance: 361 mi
Typical range: $1,942–$2,682
Transit: 1 day

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

Chicago to Des Moines price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,948
Fuel: $364
All-in estimate: $2,312

Return trip

Des Moines → Chicago$2,075

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

Chicago to Des Moines by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Des Moines, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,686	$4.67	$1,501 – $1,872
53' refrigerated	$2,014	$5.58	$1,752 – $2,276
48' flatbed	$2,109	$5.84	$1,813 – $2,404
Step deck	$2,312	$6.41	$1,942 – $2,682
Power only	$1,448	$4.01	$1,260 – $1,636
Hotshot	$1,091	$3.02	$905 – $1,276
26' box truck	$1,085	$3.01	$922 – $1,248
Sprinter van	$675	$1.87	$567 – $782

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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 Des Moines

Step deck lanes into Des Moines, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,208 mi	$4,375	$3.62	$3,675 – $5,075	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,705 mi	$7,778	$4.56	$6,534 – $9,023	4 d
Houston, TX	968 mi	$3,464	$3.58	$2,910 – $4,018	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,357 mi	$3,694	$2.72	$3,103 – $4,285	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,145 mi	$3,723	$3.25	$3,127 – $4,319	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,039 mi	$3,658	$3.52	$3,073 – $4,243	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,679 mi	$7,677	$4.57	$6,449 – $8,906	4 d
Dallas, TX	744 mi	$2,851	$3.83	$2,395 – $3,308	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Des Moines, IA?

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to Des Moines, IA is estimated at $2,312 all-in in October 2026, or $6.41 a mile over about 361 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,942 and $2,682.

How far is Chicago, IL from Des Moines, IA by truck?

About 361 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 $364 of the $2,312 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,948 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Des Moines, IA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,075, which makes Chicago, IL to Des Moines, IA 11% 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