Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Merced, CA step deck rate

$8,287step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.98
Distance: 2,081 mi
Typical range: $6,961–$9,612
Transit: 5 days

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

Chicago to Merced price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.4%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,189
Fuel: $2,098
All-in estimate: $8,287

Return trip

Merced → Chicago$9,041

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

Chicago to Merced by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Merced, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,355	$3.05	$5,656 – $7,054
53' refrigerated	$7,569	$3.64	$6,585 – $8,553
48' flatbed	$7,616	$3.66	$6,550 – $8,683
Step deck	$8,287	$3.98	$6,961 – $9,612
Power only	$5,650	$2.71	$4,915 – $6,384
Hotshot	$4,266	$2.05	$3,540 – $4,991
26' box truck	$4,166	$2.00	$3,541 – $4,791
Sprinter van	$2,542	$1.22	$2,135 – $2,948

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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 Merced

Step deck lanes into Merced, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,928 mi	$9,313	$3.18	$7,823 – $10,803	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	301 mi	$2,316	$7.69	$1,945 – $2,686	1 d
Houston, TX	1,805 mi	$5,718	$3.17	$4,803 – $6,632	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	635 mi	$2,071	$3.26	$1,740 – $2,403	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,864 mi	$8,106	$2.83	$6,809 – $9,403	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,621 mi	$5,218	$3.22	$4,383 – $6,052	4 d
San Diego, CA	429 mi	$2,810	$6.55	$2,360 – $3,259	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,620 mi	$5,215	$3.22	$4,380 – $6,049	4 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to Merced, CA is estimated at $8,287 all-in in October 2026, or $3.98 a mile over about 2,081 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,961 and $9,612.

How far is Chicago, IL from Merced, CA by truck?

About 2,081 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 $2,098 of the $8,287 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,189 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Merced, CA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $9,041, which makes Chicago, IL to Merced, 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