Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA step deck rate

$8,245step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.98
Distance: 2,069 mi
Typical range: $6,926–$9,564
Transit: 5 days

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

Chicago to Santa Monica price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.5%
5 years: +24.8%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,159
Fuel: $2,086
All-in estimate: $8,245

Return trip

Santa Monica → Chicago$8,996

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 Monica by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,322	$3.06	$5,626 – $7,017
53' refrigerated	$7,530	$3.64	$6,551 – $8,509
48' flatbed	$7,578	$3.66	$6,517 – $8,639
Step deck	$8,245	$3.98	$6,926 – $9,564
Power only	$5,620	$2.72	$4,890 – $6,351
Hotshot	$4,243	$2.05	$3,522 – $4,965
26' box truck	$4,145	$2.00	$3,523 – $4,766
Sprinter van	$2,529	$1.22	$2,124 – $2,933

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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 Santa Monica

Step deck lanes into Santa Monica, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,907 mi	$9,252	$3.18	$7,772 – $10,733	7 d
Houston, TX	1,633 mi	$5,250	$3.22	$4,410 – $6,090	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	436 mi	$1,630	$3.74	$1,369 – $1,891	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,837 mi	$8,037	$2.83	$6,751 – $9,323	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,431 mi	$4,701	$3.29	$3,949 – $5,454	4 d
San Diego, CA	135 mi	$1,675	$12.41	$1,407 – $1,943	1 d
Dallas, TX	1,480 mi	$4,834	$3.27	$4,061 – $5,608	4 d
Jacksonville, FL	2,546 mi	$6,236	$2.45	$5,238 – $7,234	6 d

About this lane

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

A Step deck from Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA is estimated at $8,245 all-in in October 2026, or $3.98 a mile over about 2,069 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,926 and $9,564.

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

About 2,069 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 $2,086 of the $8,245 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,159 is linehaul.

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

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,996, which makes Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, 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 →