Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Houston, TX step deck rate

$5,061step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $4.58
Distance: 1,106 mi
Typical range: $4,251–$5,870
Transit: 3 days

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

Chicago to Houston price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,946
Fuel: $1,115
All-in estimate: $5,061

Return trip

Houston → Chicago$3,759

This direction runs 35% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in TX prices below it.

Chicago to Houston by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Houston, TX by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,830	$3.46	$3,409 – $4,251
53' refrigerated	$4,565	$4.13	$3,972 – $5,158
48' flatbed	$4,642	$4.20	$3,992 – $5,291
Step deck	$5,061	$4.58	$4,251 – $5,870
Power only	$3,375	$3.05	$2,936 – $3,814
Hotshot	$2,547	$2.30	$2,114 – $2,980
26' box truck	$2,499	$2.26	$2,124 – $2,874
Sprinter van	$1,532	$1.39	$1,287 – $1,777

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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
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
Jacksonville, FL	1,017 mi	$6,904	$6.79	$5,799 – $8,008	3 d

More lanes into Houston

Step deck lanes into Houston, TX
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$5,893	$3.52	$4,950 – $6,836	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$7,687	$4.72	$6,457 – $8,917	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$3,434	$2.87	$2,884 – $3,983	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$4,995	$3.15	$4,196 – $5,794	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,471	$6.57	$1,235 – $1,706	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$7,308	$4.77	$6,139 – $8,477	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,580	$6.01	$1,327 – $1,833	1 d
Jacksonville, FL	969 mi	$2,875	$2.97	$2,415 – $3,335	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Houston, TX?

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to Houston, TX is estimated at $5,061 all-in in October 2026, or $4.58 a mile over about 1,106 mi. Quotes typically land between $4,251 and $5,870.

How far is Chicago, IL from Houston, TX by truck?

About 1,106 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 3 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $1,115 of the $5,061 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,946 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Houston, TX to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,759, which makes Chicago, IL to Houston, TX 35% 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