Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Merriam, KS step deck rate

$2,856step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $5.80
Distance: 492 mi
Typical range: $2,399–$3,313
Transit: 2 days

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

Chicago to Merriam price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,360
Fuel: $496
All-in estimate: $2,856

Return trip

Merriam → Chicago$2,587

This direction runs 10% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in KS prices below it.

Chicago to Merriam by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Merriam, KS by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,107	$4.28	$1,876 – $2,339
53' refrigerated	$2,515	$5.11	$2,188 – $2,842
48' flatbed	$2,609	$5.30	$2,244 – $2,975
Step deck	$2,856	$5.80	$2,399 – $3,313
Power only	$1,825	$3.71	$1,588 – $2,062
Hotshot	$1,375	$2.80	$1,142 – $1,609
26' box truck	$1,362	$2.77	$1,158 – $1,566
Sprinter van	$843	$1.71	$708 – $978

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 Merriam

Step deck lanes into Merriam, KS
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,303 mi	$4,794	$3.68	$4,027 – $5,561	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,601 mi	$7,601	$4.75	$6,385 – $8,817	4 d
Houston, TX	754 mi	$2,967	$3.94	$2,492 – $3,442	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,224 mi	$3,501	$2.86	$2,941 – $4,061	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,231 mi	$4,066	$3.30	$3,415 – $4,716	3 d
San Antonio, TX	820 mi	$3,153	$3.85	$2,649 – $3,657	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,561 mi	$7,441	$4.77	$6,250 – $8,631	4 d
Dallas, TX	526 mi	$2,325	$4.42	$1,953 – $2,697	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Merriam, KS?

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to Merriam, KS is estimated at $2,856 all-in in October 2026, or $5.80 a mile over about 492 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,399 and $3,313.

How far is Chicago, IL from Merriam, KS by truck?

About 492 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 $496 of the $2,856 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,360 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Merriam, KS to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,587, which makes Chicago, IL to Merriam, KS 10% 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