Lane · FLAT · Oct 2026

Council Bluffs, IA to Chicago, IL flatbed rate

$2,298flatbed

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $4.59
Distance: 501 mi
Typical range: $1,976–$2,620
Transit: 2 days

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Flatbed · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Council Bluffs to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.8%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.1%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,809
Fuel: $489
All-in estimate: $2,298

Return trip

Chicago → Council Bluffs$2,561

This direction runs 10% below the return trip. Leaving IA prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Council Bluffs to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Council Bluffs, IA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,857	$3.71	$1,653 – $2,061
53' refrigerated	$2,216	$4.42	$1,928 – $2,504
48' flatbed	$2,298	$4.59	$1,976 – $2,620
Step deck	$2,515	$5.02	$2,113 – $2,917
Power only	$1,609	$3.21	$1,400 – $1,818
Hotshot	$1,213	$2.42	$1,007 – $1,419
26' box truck	$1,201	$2.40	$1,021 – $1,381
Sprinter van	$743	$1.48	$624 – $862

Live market check

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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 Council Bluffs

48' flatbed lanes from Council Bluffs, IA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,347 mi	$6,471	$4.80	$5,565 – $7,377	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,565 mi	$5,465	$3.49	$4,700 – $6,230	4 d
Houston, TX	934 mi	$3,732	$4.00	$3,210 – $4,255	2 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,220 mi	$4,909	$4.02	$4,222 – $5,596	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,283 mi	$5,916	$4.61	$5,088 – $6,744	3 d
San Antonio, TX	976 mi	$3,860	$3.95	$3,320 – $4,400	3 d
San Diego, CA	1,540 mi	$5,391	$3.50	$4,637 – $6,146	4 d
Dallas, TX	691 mi	$2,993	$4.33	$2,574 – $3,412	2 d

More lanes into Chicago

48' flatbed lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,984	$3.52	$2,566 – $3,401	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,247	$4.00	$7,092 – $9,402	5 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,448	$3.12	$2,965 – $3,931	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$4,019	$2.36	$3,456 – $4,581	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,510	$3.19	$2,159 – $2,861	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$3,769	$3.05	$3,241 – $4,296	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,145	$4.00	$7,005 – $9,286	5 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$3,044	$3.23	$2,618 – $3,470	2 d

About this lane

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

A 48' flatbed from Council Bluffs, IA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,298 all-in in October 2026, or $4.59 a mile over about 501 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,976 and $2,620.

How far is Council Bluffs, IA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 501 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 $489 of the $2,298 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,809 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Council Bluffs, IA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $2,561, which makes Council Bluffs, IA to Chicago, IL 10% 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 →