Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Hickory, NC step deck rate

$3,914step deck

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $6.12
Distance: 640 mi
Typical range: $3,288–$4,540
Transit: 2 days

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

Chicago to Hickory price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,269
Fuel: $645
All-in estimate: $3,914

Return trip

Hickory → Chicago$2,385

This direction runs 64% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in NC prices above it.

Chicago to Hickory by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Hickory, NC by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,915	$4.55	$2,594 – $3,235
53' refrigerated	$3,477	$5.43	$3,025 – $3,929
48' flatbed	$3,581	$5.59	$3,079 – $4,082
Step deck	$3,914	$6.12	$3,288 – $4,540
Power only	$2,540	$3.97	$2,210 – $2,870
Hotshot	$1,916	$2.99	$1,590 – $2,241
26' box truck	$1,891	$2.95	$1,607 – $2,174
Sprinter van	$1,166	$1.82	$979 – $1,352

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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 Hickory

Step deck lanes into Hickory, NC
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	620 mi	$3,175	$5.12	$2,667 – $3,683	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,470 mi	$12,787	$5.18	$10,741 – $14,833	6 d
Houston, TX	1,078 mi	$4,479	$4.15	$3,762 – $5,196	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,063 mi	$6,268	$3.04	$5,265 – $7,271	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	529 mi	$2,540	$4.80	$2,134 – $2,947	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,285 mi	$5,152	$4.01	$4,328 – $5,977	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,411 mi	$12,515	$5.19	$10,512 – $14,517	6 d
Dallas, TX	1,067 mi	$4,443	$4.16	$3,732 – $5,154	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Hickory, NC?

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to Hickory, NC is estimated at $3,914 all-in in October 2026, or $6.12 a mile over about 640 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,288 and $4,540.

How far is Chicago, IL from Hickory, NC by truck?

About 640 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 $645 of the $3,914 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,269 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Hickory, NC to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,385, which makes Chicago, IL to Hickory, NC 64% 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