Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Chicago, IL to Waterloo, IA flatbed rate

$1,870flatbed

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $6.51
Distance: 287 mi
Typical range: $1,608–$2,132
Transit: 1 day

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Chicago to Waterloo price history

3 months: +8.5%
1 year: +18.5%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,590
Fuel: $280
All-in estimate: $1,870

Return trip

Waterloo → Chicago$1,678

This direction runs 11% above the return trip. Leaving IL prices above the national average and arriving in IA prices below it.

Chicago to Waterloo by truck type

Estimated cost from Chicago, IL to Waterloo, IA by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,484	$5.17	$1,321 – $1,647
53' refrigerated	$1,773	$6.18	$1,542 – $2,003
48' flatbed	$1,870	$6.51	$1,608 – $2,132
Step deck	$2,053	$7.15	$1,725 – $2,382
Power only	$1,266	$4.41	$1,101 – $1,430
Hotshot	$953	$3.32	$791 – $1,115
26' box truck	$951	$3.32	$809 – $1,094
Sprinter van	$594	$2.07	$499 – $689

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.

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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 Waterloo

48' flatbed lanes into Waterloo, IA
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,131 mi	$3,808	$3.37	$3,275 – $4,342	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,797 mi	$7,474	$4.16	$6,428 – $8,521	4 d
Houston, TX	1,055 mi	$3,394	$3.22	$2,919 – $3,870	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,456 mi	$3,594	$2.47	$3,091 – $4,097	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,073 mi	$3,244	$3.02	$2,790 – $3,698	3 d
San Antonio, TX	1,137 mi	$3,601	$3.17	$3,097 – $4,105	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,775 mi	$7,395	$4.17	$6,360 – $8,431	4 d
Dallas, TX	840 mi	$2,853	$3.40	$2,453 – $3,252	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Chicago, IL to Waterloo, IA?

A 48' flatbed from Chicago, IL to Waterloo, IA is estimated at $1,870 all-in in October 2026, or $6.51 a mile over about 287 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,608 and $2,132.

How far is Chicago, IL from Waterloo, IA by truck?

About 287 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 1 day of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $280 of the $1,870 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,590 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Waterloo, IA to Chicago, IL?

The reverse direction is estimated at $1,678, which makes Chicago, IL to Waterloo, IA 11% 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