Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Fort Smith, AR step deck rate

$3,596step deck

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $5.30
Distance: 679 mi
Typical range: $3,020–$4,171
Transit: 2 days

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

Chicago to Fort Smith price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.9%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,911
Fuel: $685
All-in estimate: $3,596

Return trip

Fort Smith → Chicago$2,701

This direction runs 33% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in AR prices below it.

Chicago to Fort Smith by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Fort Smith, AR by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,683	$3.95	$2,388 – $2,978
53' refrigerated	$3,200	$4.71	$2,784 – $3,616
48' flatbed	$3,291	$4.85	$2,830 – $3,751
Step deck	$3,596	$5.30	$3,020 – $4,171
Power only	$2,341	$3.45	$2,037 – $2,646
Hotshot	$1,766	$2.60	$1,466 – $2,066
26' box truck	$1,741	$2.56	$1,480 – $2,003
Sprinter van	$1,073	$1.58	$901 – $1,245

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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 Fort Smith

Step deck lanes into Fort Smith, AR
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,378 mi	$5,110	$3.71	$4,292 – $5,928	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,611 mi	$7,780	$4.83	$6,536 – $9,025	4 d
Houston, TX	459 mi	$2,175	$4.74	$1,827 – $2,523	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$3,504	$2.93	$2,944 – $4,065	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,295 mi	$4,313	$3.33	$3,623 – $5,003	3 d
San Antonio, TX	558 mi	$2,459	$4.41	$2,066 – $2,853	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,548 mi	$7,524	$4.86	$6,320 – $8,728	4 d
Dallas, TX	264 mi	$1,616	$6.12	$1,357 – $1,874	1 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Fort Smith, AR?

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to Fort Smith, AR is estimated at $3,596 all-in in October 2026, or $5.30 a mile over about 679 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,020 and $4,171.

How far is Chicago, IL from Fort Smith, AR by truck?

About 679 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 $685 of the $3,596 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,911 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Fort Smith, AR to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,701, which makes Chicago, IL to Fort Smith, AR 33% 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