Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA step deck rate

$8,224step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.99
Distance: 2,063 mi
Typical range: $6,908–$9,540
Transit: 5 days

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

Chicago to Los Angeles price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,144
Fuel: $2,080
All-in estimate: $8,224

Return trip

Los Angeles → Chicago$8,973

This direction runs 8% below the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in CA prices below it.

Chicago to Los Angeles by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,306	$3.06	$5,612 – $6,999
53' refrigerated	$7,511	$3.64	$6,534 – $8,487
48' flatbed	$7,559	$3.66	$6,500 – $8,617
Step deck	$8,224	$3.99	$6,908 – $9,540
Power only	$5,606	$2.72	$4,877 – $6,334
Hotshot	$4,232	$2.05	$3,513 – $4,952
26' box truck	$4,134	$2.00	$3,514 – $4,754
Sprinter van	$2,522	$1.22	$2,119 – $2,926

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

More lanes into Los Angeles

Step deck lanes into Los Angeles, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,902 mi	$9,238	$3.18	$7,760 – $10,716	7 d
Houston, TX	1,627 mi	$5,234	$3.22	$4,396 – $6,071	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	430 mi	$1,617	$3.76	$1,358 – $1,875	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,831 mi	$8,021	$2.83	$6,738 – $9,305	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,425 mi	$4,685	$3.29	$3,935 – $5,435	4 d
San Diego, CA	131 mi	$1,660	$12.67	$1,394 – $1,926	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,474 mi	$4,818	$3.27	$4,047 – $5,589	4 d
Jacksonville, FL	2,540 mi	$6,223	$2.45	$5,227 – $7,218	6 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA?

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA is estimated at $8,224 all-in in October 2026, or $3.99 a mile over about 2,063 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,908 and $9,540.

How far is Chicago, IL from Los Angeles, CA by truck?

About 2,063 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 5 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $2,080 of the $8,224 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,144 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Los Angeles, CA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,973, which makes Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA 8% cheaper. 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