Lane · HOT · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Santa Cruz, CA hotshot rate

$4,458hotshot

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $2.04
Distance: 2,185 mi
Typical range: $3,700–$5,216
Transit: 5 days

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Hotshot · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Santa Cruz price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,092
Fuel: $1,366
All-in estimate: $4,458

Return trip

Santa Cruz → Chicago$4,864

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

Chicago to Santa Cruz by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Santa Cruz, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,637	$3.04	$5,907 – $7,367
53' refrigerated	$7,905	$3.62	$6,878 – $8,933
48' flatbed	$7,950	$3.64	$6,837 – $9,063
Step deck	$8,649	$3.96	$7,265 – $10,032
Power only	$5,904	$2.70	$5,137 – $6,672
Hotshot	$4,458	$2.04	$3,700 – $5,216
26' box truck	$4,353	$1.99	$3,700 – $5,006
Sprinter van	$2,655	$1.22	$2,230 – $3,080

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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

Hotshot lanes from Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,661	$3.14	$2,208 – $3,113	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$4,232	$2.05	$3,513 – $4,952	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$2,547	$2.30	$2,114 – $2,980	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$3,939	$2.31	$3,269 – $4,608	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,390	$3.04	$1,984 – $2,796	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$2,796	$2.26	$2,320 – $3,271	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$4,179	$2.05	$3,468 – $4,889	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$2,233	$2.37	$1,854 – $2,613	2 d

More lanes into Santa Cruz

Hotshot lanes into Santa Cruz, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,032 mi	$4,994	$1.65	$4,145 – $5,842	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	340 mi	$1,159	$3.41	$962 – $1,356	1 d
Houston, TX	1,899 mi	$3,066	$1.61	$2,545 – $3,588	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	717 mi	$1,110	$1.55	$921 – $1,299	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,969 mi	$4,349	$1.46	$3,609 – $5,088	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,711 mi	$2,795	$1.63	$2,320 – $3,270	4 d
San Diego, CA	471 mi	$1,427	$3.03	$1,185 – $1,670	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,719 mi	$2,807	$1.63	$2,329 – $3,284	4 d

About this lane

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

A Hotshot from Chicago, IL to Santa Cruz, CA is estimated at $4,458 all-in in October 2026, or $2.04 a mile over about 2,185 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,700 and $5,216.

How far is Chicago, IL from Santa Cruz, CA by truck?

About 2,185 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 $1,366 of the $4,458 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,092 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Santa Cruz, CA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,864, which makes Chicago, IL to Santa Cruz, 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 →