Lane · VAN · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Detroit, MI dry van rate

$1,512dry van

+5.5% from last month

Per mile: $5.38
Distance: 281 mi
Typical range: $1,346–$1,679
Transit: 1 day

Request a firm quote

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

Chicago to Detroit price history

3 months: +14.0%
1 year: +24.9%
5 years: +32.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,254
Fuel: $258
All-in estimate: $1,512

Return trip

Detroit → Chicago$1,392

This direction runs 9% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in MI prices below it.

Chicago to Detroit by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Detroit, MI by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,512	$5.38	$1,346 – $1,679
53' refrigerated	$1,807	$6.43	$1,572 – $2,042
48' flatbed	$1,907	$6.79	$1,640 – $2,174
Step deck	$2,094	$7.45	$1,759 – $2,430
Power only	$1,289	$4.59	$1,122 – $1,457
Hotshot	$971	$3.46	$806 – $1,136
26' box truck	$969	$3.45	$824 – $1,115
Sprinter van	$605	$2.15	$508 – $702

Live market check

Get live dry van quotes on this lane

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.

Request a quote for dry van →

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 Detroit

53' dry van lanes into Detroit, MI
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	576 mi	$1,943	$3.37	$1,729 – $2,157	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,344 mi	$8,123	$3.47	$7,229 – $9,016	5 d
Houston, TX	1,305 mi	$3,434	$2.63	$3,056 – $3,812	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,985 mi	$4,023	$2.03	$3,580 – $4,466	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	526 mi	$1,622	$3.08	$1,443 – $1,800	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,460 mi	$3,775	$2.59	$3,360 – $4,190	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,314 mi	$8,029	$3.47	$7,146 – $8,912	5 d
Dallas, TX	1,177 mi	$3,152	$2.68	$2,806 – $3,499	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Detroit, MI?

A 53' dry van from Chicago, IL to Detroit, MI is estimated at $1,512 all-in in October 2026, or $5.38 a mile over about 281 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,346 and $1,679.

How far is Chicago, IL from Detroit, MI by truck?

About 281 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 $258 of the $1,512 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,254 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Detroit, MI to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,392, which makes Chicago, IL to Detroit, MI 9% 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