Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Salinas, CA step deck rate

$8,593step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.96
Distance: 2,169 mi
Typical range: $7,218–$9,968
Transit: 5 days

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

Chicago to Salinas price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,406
Fuel: $2,187
All-in estimate: $8,593

Return trip

Salinas → Chicago$9,375

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

Chicago to Salinas by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Salinas, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,594	$3.04	$5,869 – $7,319
53' refrigerated	$7,854	$3.62	$6,833 – $8,875
48' flatbed	$7,899	$3.64	$6,793 – $9,005
Step deck	$8,593	$3.96	$7,218 – $9,968
Power only	$5,865	$2.70	$5,103 – $6,627
Hotshot	$4,428	$2.04	$3,675 – $5,181
26' box truck	$4,324	$1.99	$3,676 – $4,973
Sprinter van	$2,638	$1.22	$2,216 – $3,060

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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 Salinas

Step deck lanes into Salinas, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,016 mi	$9,567	$3.17	$8,036 – $11,098	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	305 mi	$2,331	$7.64	$1,958 – $2,704	1 d
Houston, TX	1,869 mi	$5,891	$3.15	$4,949 – $6,834	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	685 mi	$2,182	$3.19	$1,833 – $2,531	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,952 mi	$8,332	$2.82	$6,999 – $9,665	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,680 mi	$5,378	$3.20	$4,517 – $6,238	4 d
San Diego, CA	436 mi	$2,837	$6.51	$2,383 – $3,290	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,691 mi	$5,408	$3.20	$4,543 – $6,273	4 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to Salinas, CA is estimated at $8,593 all-in in October 2026, or $3.96 a mile over about 2,169 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,218 and $9,968.

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

About 2,169 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 $2,187 of the $8,593 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,406 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $9,375, which makes Chicago, IL to Salinas, 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