Lane · HOT · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Santa Maria, CA hotshot rate

$4,401hotshot

+3.0% from last month

Per mile: $2.04
Distance: 2,154 mi
Typical range: $3,652–$5,149
Transit: 5 days

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Hotshot · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Santa Maria price history

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

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,054
Fuel: $1,347
All-in estimate: $4,401

Return trip

Santa Maria → Chicago$4,801

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 Maria by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Santa Maria, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,553	$3.04	$5,832 – $7,274
53' refrigerated	$7,805	$3.62	$6,790 – $8,820
48' flatbed	$7,851	$3.64	$6,752 – $8,950
Step deck	$8,541	$3.97	$7,174 – $9,907
Power only	$5,828	$2.71	$5,071 – $6,586
Hotshot	$4,401	$2.04	$3,652 – $5,149
26' box truck	$4,297	$2.00	$3,653 – $4,942
Sprinter van	$2,621	$1.22	$2,202 – $3,041

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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 Maria

Hotshot lanes into Santa Maria, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,997 mi	$4,940	$1.65	$4,100 – $5,780	6 d
Los Angeles, CA	156 mi	$782	$5.01	$649 – $914	1 d
Houston, TX	1,771 mi	$2,882	$1.63	$2,392 – $3,371	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	574 mi	$941	$1.64	$781 – $1,101	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,929 mi	$4,294	$1.47	$3,564 – $5,024	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,573 mi	$2,596	$1.65	$2,155 – $3,037	4 d
San Diego, CA	283 mi	$1,042	$3.68	$865 – $1,219	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,609 mi	$2,648	$1.65	$2,198 – $3,098	4 d

About this lane

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

A Hotshot from Chicago, IL to Santa Maria, CA is estimated at $4,401 all-in in October 2026, or $2.04 a mile over about 2,154 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,652 and $5,149.

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

About 2,154 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 $1,347 of the $4,401 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,054 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,801, which makes Chicago, IL to Santa Maria, 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 →