Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Helena, MT step deck rate

$7,598step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $5.18
Distance: 1,468 mi
Typical range: $6,382–$8,813
Transit: 4 days

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

Chicago to Helena price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,118
Fuel: $1,480
All-in estimate: $7,598

Return trip

Helena → Chicago$4,249

This direction runs 79% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in MT prices above it.

Chicago to Helena by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Helena, MT by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$5,788	$3.94	$5,151 – $6,425
53' refrigerated	$6,897	$4.70	$6,000 – $7,793
48' flatbed	$6,976	$4.75	$5,999 – $7,953
Step deck	$7,598	$5.18	$6,382 – $8,813
Power only	$5,124	$3.49	$4,458 – $5,790
Hotshot	$3,867	$2.63	$3,210 – $4,525
26' box truck	$3,786	$2.58	$3,218 – $4,354
Sprinter van	$2,315	$1.58	$1,945 – $2,686

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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 Helena

Step deck lanes into Helena, MT
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,276 mi	$9,177	$4.03	$7,709 – $10,645	5 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,099 mi	$6,661	$6.06	$5,596 – $7,727	3 d
Houston, TX	1,729 mi	$6,805	$3.94	$5,717 – $7,894	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,062 mi	$3,727	$3.51	$3,130 – $4,323	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,232 mi	$8,010	$3.59	$6,728 – $9,292	5 d
San Antonio, TX	1,639 mi	$6,503	$3.97	$5,463 – $7,544	4 d
San Diego, CA	1,168 mi	$6,990	$5.98	$5,872 – $8,108	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,472 mi	$5,943	$4.04	$4,992 – $6,894	4 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to Helena, MT is estimated at $7,598 all-in in October 2026, or $5.18 a mile over about 1,468 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,382 and $8,813.

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

About 1,468 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 4 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,480 of the $7,598 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,118 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,249, which makes Chicago, IL to Helena, MT 79% 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