Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Columbus, NE to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$2,962step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $5.02
Distance: 590 mi
Typical range: $2,488–$3,436
Transit: 2 days

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

Columbus to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.7%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,367
Fuel: $595
All-in estimate: $2,962

Return trip

Chicago → Columbus$3,114

This direction runs 5% below the return trip. Leaving NE prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Columbus to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Columbus, NE to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,200	$3.73	$1,958 – $2,442
53' refrigerated	$2,624	$4.45	$2,283 – $2,966
48' flatbed	$2,709	$4.59	$2,330 – $3,088
Step deck	$2,962	$5.02	$2,488 – $3,436
Power only	$1,913	$3.24	$1,665 – $2,162
Hotshot	$1,443	$2.45	$1,197 – $1,688
26' box truck	$1,425	$2.42	$1,212 – $1,639
Sprinter van	$880	$1.49	$739 – $1,021

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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 Columbus

Step deck lanes from Columbus, NE
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,437 mi	$7,881	$5.48	$6,620 – $9,141	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,481 mi	$6,023	$4.07	$5,059 – $6,986	4 d
Houston, TX	959 mi	$4,403	$4.59	$3,699 – $5,108	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,146 mi	$5,394	$4.71	$4,531 – $6,257	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,374 mi	$7,225	$5.26	$6,069 – $8,381	3 d
San Antonio, TX	979 mi	$4,473	$4.57	$3,757 – $5,189	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,460 mi	$5,952	$4.08	$4,999 – $6,904	4 d
Dallas, TX	706 mi	$3,518	$4.98	$2,955 – $4,081	2 d

More lanes into Chicago

Step deck lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$3,257	$3.85	$2,736 – $3,778	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,973	$4.35	$7,537 – $10,408	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,759	$3.40	$3,158 – $4,361	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$4,375	$2.57	$3,675 – $5,075	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,741	$3.48	$2,302 – $3,179	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$4,107	$3.32	$3,450 – $4,764	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,863	$4.36	$7,445 – $10,281	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$3,321	$3.53	$2,789 – $3,852	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Columbus, NE to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Columbus, NE to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,962 all-in in October 2026, or $5.02 a mile over about 590 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,488 and $3,436.

How far is Columbus, NE from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 590 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 $595 of the $2,962 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,367 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Columbus, NE?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,114, which makes Columbus, NE to Chicago, IL 5% 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