Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Palo Alto, CA flatbed rate

$7,931flatbed

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.64
Distance: 2,179 mi
Typical range: $6,821–$9,041
Transit: 5 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Palo Alto price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,802
Fuel: $2,129
All-in estimate: $7,931

Return trip

Palo Alto → Chicago$8,653

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

Chicago to Palo Alto by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Palo Alto, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,621	$3.04	$5,893 – $7,349
53' refrigerated	$7,886	$3.62	$6,861 – $8,911
48' flatbed	$7,931	$3.64	$6,821 – $9,041
Step deck	$8,628	$3.96	$7,247 – $10,008
Power only	$5,889	$2.70	$5,124 – $6,655
Hotshot	$4,447	$2.04	$3,691 – $5,203
26' box truck	$4,342	$1.99	$3,691 – $4,993
Sprinter van	$2,648	$1.22	$2,225 – $3,072

Live market check

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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

48' flatbed lanes from Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$4,905	$5.79	$4,218 – $5,592	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$7,559	$3.66	$6,500 – $8,617	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$4,642	$4.20	$3,992 – $5,291	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$7,071	$4.15	$6,081 – $8,061	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$4,421	$5.62	$3,802 – $5,040	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$5,073	$4.10	$4,363 – $5,783	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$7,466	$3.67	$6,420 – $8,511	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$4,097	$4.35	$3,524 – $4,671	2 d

More lanes into Palo Alto

48' flatbed lanes into Palo Alto, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,026 mi	$8,827	$2.92	$7,591 – $10,063	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	370 mi	$2,355	$6.36	$2,025 – $2,685	1 d
Houston, TX	1,912 mi	$5,521	$2.89	$4,748 – $6,294	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	736 mi	$2,101	$2.86	$1,807 – $2,396	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,964 mi	$7,692	$2.60	$6,615 – $8,769	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,726 mi	$5,055	$2.93	$4,347 – $5,763	4 d
San Diego, CA	501 mi	$2,821	$5.63	$2,426 – $3,216	2 d
Dallas, TX	1,728 mi	$5,060	$2.93	$4,352 – $5,769	4 d

About this lane

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

A 48' flatbed from Chicago, IL to Palo Alto, CA is estimated at $7,931 all-in in October 2026, or $3.64 a mile over about 2,179 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,821 and $9,041.

How far is Chicago, IL from Palo Alto, CA by truck?

About 2,179 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 $2,129 of the $7,931 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,802 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Palo Alto, CA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,653, which makes Chicago, IL to Palo Alto, CA 8% cheaper. Direction matters because trucks are scarcer leaving some markets than others.

Figures are estimates for a standard full load. Get a firm quote for this lane →