Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Washington, DC flatbed rate

$4,361flatbed

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $6.20
Distance: 704 mi
Typical range: $3,751–$4,972
Transit: 2 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Washington price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.0%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $3,673
Fuel: $688
All-in estimate: $4,361

Return trip

Washington → Chicago$2,500

This direction runs 74% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in DC prices above it.

Chicago to Washington by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Washington, DC by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,560	$5.06	$3,168 – $3,951
53' refrigerated	$4,245	$6.03	$3,693 – $4,797
48' flatbed	$4,361	$6.20	$3,751 – $4,972
Step deck	$4,765	$6.77	$4,002 – $5,527
Power only	$3,109	$4.42	$2,705 – $3,513
Hotshot	$2,345	$3.33	$1,946 – $2,743
26' box truck	$2,311	$3.28	$1,965 – $2,658
Sprinter van	$1,424	$2.02	$1,196 – $1,652

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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

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 Washington

48' flatbed lanes into Washington, DC
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	240 mi	$1,931	$8.05	$1,661 – $2,202	1 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,720 mi	$14,614	$5.37	$12,568 – $16,660	6 d
Houston, TX	1,439 mi	$5,915	$4.11	$5,087 – $6,744	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,332 mi	$7,316	$3.14	$6,292 – $8,341	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	149 mi	$1,422	$9.54	$1,223 – $1,621	1 d
San Antonio, TX	1,636 mi	$6,589	$4.03	$5,666 – $7,511	4 d
San Diego, CA	2,675 mi	$14,396	$5.38	$12,380 – $16,411	6 d
Dallas, TX	1,393 mi	$5,758	$4.13	$4,952 – $6,564	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Washington, DC?

A 48' flatbed from Chicago, IL to Washington, DC is estimated at $4,361 all-in in October 2026, or $6.20 a mile over about 704 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,751 and $4,972.

How far is Chicago, IL from Washington, DC by truck?

About 704 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 2 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $688 of the $4,361 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $3,673 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Washington, DC to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,500, which makes Chicago, IL to Washington, DC 74% more expensive. 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