Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to San Francisco, CA step deck rate

$8,784step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.95
Distance: 2,224 mi
Typical range: $7,379–$10,190
Transit: 5 days

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

Chicago to San Francisco price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,541
Fuel: $2,243
All-in estimate: $8,784

Return trip

San Francisco → Chicago$9,584

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

Chicago to San Francisco by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to San Francisco, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,743	$3.03	$6,002 – $7,485
53' refrigerated	$8,032	$3.61	$6,988 – $9,076
48' flatbed	$8,075	$3.63	$6,945 – $9,206
Step deck	$8,784	$3.95	$7,379 – $10,190
Power only	$6,000	$2.70	$5,220 – $6,780
Hotshot	$4,530	$2.04	$3,760 – $5,300
26' box truck	$4,423	$1.99	$3,759 – $5,086
Sprinter van	$2,697	$1.21	$2,266 – $3,129

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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 San Francisco

Step deck lanes into San Francisco, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,071 mi	$9,726	$3.17	$8,169 – $11,282	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	430 mi	$2,813	$6.54	$2,363 – $3,264	1 d
Houston, TX	1,974 mi	$6,177	$3.13	$5,188 – $7,165	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	799 mi	$2,435	$3.05	$2,045 – $2,824	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	3,009 mi	$8,478	$2.82	$7,121 – $9,834	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,789 mi	$5,674	$3.17	$4,766 – $6,582	4 d
San Diego, CA	561 mi	$3,319	$5.92	$2,788 – $3,850	2 d
Dallas, TX	1,788 mi	$5,671	$3.17	$4,764 – $6,579	4 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to San Francisco, CA is estimated at $8,784 all-in in October 2026, or $3.95 a mile over about 2,224 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,379 and $10,190.

How far is Chicago, IL from San Francisco, CA by truck?

About 2,224 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 $2,243 of the $8,784 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,541 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from San Francisco, CA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $9,584, which makes Chicago, IL to San Francisco, 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