Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Helena, AL reefer rate

$3,639reefer

−0.2% from last month

Per mile: $5.21
Distance: 699 mi
Typical range: $3,166–$4,113
Transit: 2 days

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Helena price history

3 months: +2.0%
1 year: +36.0%
5 years: +3.6%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,923
Fuel: $716
All-in estimate: $3,639

Return trip

Helena → Chicago$2,627

This direction runs 39% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in AL prices below it.

Chicago to Helena by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Helena, AL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,051	$4.37	$2,716 – $3,387
53' refrigerated	$3,639	$5.21	$3,166 – $4,113
48' flatbed	$3,740	$5.35	$3,216 – $4,263
Step deck	$4,085	$5.84	$3,432 – $4,739
Power only	$2,665	$3.81	$2,318 – $3,011
Hotshot	$2,010	$2.88	$1,668 – $2,351
26' box truck	$1,981	$2.83	$1,684 – $2,278
Sprinter van	$1,221	$1.75	$1,025 – $1,416

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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' refrigerated lanes from Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$4,796	$5.66	$4,173 – $5,420	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$7,511	$3.64	$6,534 – $8,487	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$4,565	$4.13	$3,972 – $5,158	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$7,007	$4.11	$6,096 – $7,918	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$4,315	$5.48	$3,754 – $4,876	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$5,000	$4.05	$4,350 – $5,650	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$7,417	$3.65	$6,453 – $8,381	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$4,016	$4.26	$3,494 – $4,538	2 d

More lanes into Helena

53' refrigerated lanes into Helena, AL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,034 mi	$4,073	$3.94	$3,544 – $4,603	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,132 mi	$10,075	$4.73	$8,765 – $11,385	4 d
Houston, TX	656 mi	$2,713	$4.14	$2,360 – $3,065	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,711 mi	$4,770	$2.79	$4,150 – $5,390	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	943 mi	$3,362	$3.57	$2,925 – $3,799	2 d
San Antonio, TX	868 mi	$3,342	$3.85	$2,908 – $3,777	2 d
San Diego, CA	2,061 mi	$9,776	$4.74	$8,505 – $11,046	4 d
Dallas, TX	677 mi	$2,775	$4.10	$2,414 – $3,136	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Helena, AL?

A 53' refrigerated from Chicago, IL to Helena, AL is estimated at $3,639 all-in in October 2026, or $5.21 a mile over about 699 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,166 and $4,113.

How far is Chicago, IL from Helena, AL by truck?

About 699 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 $716 of the $3,639 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,923 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Helena, AL to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,627, which makes Chicago, IL to Helena, AL 39% 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 →