Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Richmond, CA reefer rate

$7,880reefer

−0.3% from last month

Per mile: $3.62
Distance: 2,177 mi
Typical range: $6,855–$8,904
Transit: 5 days

Request a firm quote

Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Richmond price history

3 months: +1.7%
1 year: +36.1%
5 years: +3.7%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,649
Fuel: $2,231
All-in estimate: $7,880

Return trip

Richmond → Chicago$8,597

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

Chicago to Richmond by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Richmond, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,616	$3.04	$5,888 – $7,343
53' refrigerated	$7,880	$3.62	$6,855 – $8,904
48' flatbed	$7,925	$3.64	$6,815 – $9,034
Step deck	$8,621	$3.96	$7,241 – $10,000
Power only	$5,885	$2.70	$5,120 – $6,650
Hotshot	$4,443	$2.04	$3,688 – $5,198
26' box truck	$4,339	$1.99	$3,688 – $4,989
Sprinter van	$2,646	$1.22	$2,223 – $3,070

Live market check

Get live dry van quotes on this lane

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.

Request a quote for reefer →

More lanes from Chicago

53' refrigerated lanes from Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$4,796	$5.66	$4,173 – $5,420	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$7,511	$3.64	$6,534 – $8,487	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$4,565	$4.13	$3,972 – $5,158	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$7,007	$4.11	$6,096 – $7,918	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$4,315	$5.48	$3,754 – $4,876	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$5,000	$4.05	$4,350 – $5,650	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$7,417	$3.65	$6,453 – $8,381	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$4,016	$4.26	$3,494 – $4,538	2 d

More lanes into Richmond

53' refrigerated lanes into Richmond, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,024 mi	$8,804	$2.91	$7,659 – $9,948	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	413 mi	$2,405	$5.82	$2,092 – $2,718	1 d
Houston, TX	1,935 mi	$5,538	$2.86	$4,818 – $6,258	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	767 mi	$2,112	$2.75	$1,837 – $2,386	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,963 mi	$7,672	$2.59	$6,675 – $8,670	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,752 mi	$5,076	$2.90	$4,416 – $5,736	4 d
San Diego, CA	544 mi	$2,875	$5.28	$2,501 – $3,248	2 d
Dallas, TX	1,747 mi	$5,064	$2.90	$4,405 – $5,722	4 d

About this lane

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

A 53' refrigerated from Chicago, IL to Richmond, CA is estimated at $7,880 all-in in October 2026, or $3.62 a mile over about 2,177 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,855 and $8,904.

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

About 2,177 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 $2,231 of the $7,880 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,649 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,597, which makes Chicago, IL to Richmond, 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