Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Union City, CA flatbed rate

$7,889flatbed

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.64
Distance: 2,166 mi
Typical range: $6,785–$8,994
Transit: 5 days

Request a firm quote

Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Union City price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $5,773
Fuel: $2,116
All-in estimate: $7,889

Return trip

Union City → Chicago$8,608

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

Chicago to Union City by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Union City, CA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,586	$3.04	$5,861 – $7,310
53' refrigerated	$7,844	$3.62	$6,824 – $8,864
48' flatbed	$7,889	$3.64	$6,785 – $8,994
Step deck	$8,583	$3.96	$7,209 – $9,956
Power only	$5,858	$2.70	$5,096 – $6,619
Hotshot	$4,423	$2.04	$3,671 – $5,175
26' box truck	$4,319	$1.99	$3,671 – $4,967
Sprinter van	$2,634	$1.22	$2,213 – $3,056

Live market check

Get live dry van quotes on this lane

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.

Request a quote for flatbed →

More lanes from Chicago

48' flatbed lanes from Chicago, IL
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$4,905	$5.79	$4,218 – $5,592	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$7,559	$3.66	$6,500 – $8,617	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$4,642	$4.20	$3,992 – $5,291	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$7,071	$4.15	$6,081 – $8,061	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$4,421	$5.62	$3,802 – $5,040	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$5,073	$4.10	$4,363 – $5,783	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$7,466	$3.67	$6,420 – $8,511	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$4,097	$4.35	$3,524 – $4,671	2 d

More lanes into Union City

48' flatbed lanes into Union City, CA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	3,013 mi	$8,793	$2.92	$7,562 – $10,023	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	377 mi	$2,380	$6.31	$2,047 – $2,713	1 d
Houston, TX	1,908 mi	$5,511	$2.89	$4,739 – $6,283	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	735 mi	$2,099	$2.86	$1,805 – $2,393	2 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,951 mi	$7,662	$2.60	$6,589 – $8,734	7 d
San Antonio, TX	1,723 mi	$5,048	$2.93	$4,341 – $5,754	4 d
San Diego, CA	508 mi	$2,846	$5.60	$2,447 – $3,244	2 d
Dallas, TX	1,722 mi	$5,045	$2.93	$4,339 – $5,751	4 d

About this lane

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

A 48' flatbed from Chicago, IL to Union City, CA is estimated at $7,889 all-in in October 2026, or $3.64 a mile over about 2,166 mi. Quotes typically land between $6,785 and $8,994.

How far is Chicago, IL from Union City, CA by truck?

About 2,166 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 $2,116 of the $7,889 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $5,773 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Union City, CA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,608, which makes Chicago, IL to Union City, 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