Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Ralston, NE flatbed rate

$2,596flatbed

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $5.07
Distance: 512 mi
Typical range: $2,233–$2,960
Transit: 2 days

Request a firm quote

Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Ralston price history

3 months: +8.6%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,096
Fuel: $500
All-in estimate: $2,596

Return trip

Ralston → Chicago$2,469

This direction runs 5% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in NE prices below it.

Chicago to Ralston by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Ralston, NE by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,100	$4.10	$1,869 – $2,330
53' refrigerated	$2,505	$4.89	$2,180 – $2,831
48' flatbed	$2,596	$5.07	$2,233 – $2,960
Step deck	$2,841	$5.55	$2,387 – $3,296
Power only	$1,820	$3.55	$1,583 – $2,056
Hotshot	$1,372	$2.68	$1,139 – $1,605
26' box truck	$1,358	$2.65	$1,154 – $1,561
Sprinter van	$840	$1.64	$705 – $974

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 Ralston

48' flatbed lanes into Ralston, NE
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,358 mi	$4,416	$3.25	$3,798 – $5,034	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,553 mi	$6,601	$4.25	$5,677 – $7,525	4 d
Houston, TX	932 mi	$3,085	$3.31	$2,653 – $3,516	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,209 mi	$3,086	$2.55	$2,654 – $3,518	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,294 mi	$3,769	$2.91	$3,242 – $4,297	3 d
San Antonio, TX	971 mi	$3,183	$3.28	$2,737 – $3,628	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,529 mi	$6,515	$4.26	$5,603 – $7,428	4 d
Dallas, TX	687 mi	$2,467	$3.59	$2,122 – $2,813	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Ralston, NE?

A 48' flatbed from Chicago, IL to Ralston, NE is estimated at $2,596 all-in in October 2026, or $5.07 a mile over about 512 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,233 and $2,960.

How far is Chicago, IL from Ralston, NE by truck?

About 512 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 $500 of the $2,596 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,096 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Ralston, NE to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,469, which makes Chicago, IL to Ralston, NE 5% 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