Lane · REEF · Oct 2026

Dover, DE to Chicago, IL reefer rate

$2,606reefer

−0.3% from last month

Per mile: $3.32
Distance: 784 mi
Typical range: $2,268–$2,945
Transit: 2 days

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Reefer · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Dover to Chicago price history

3 months: +1.5%
1 year: +36.1%
5 years: +3.4%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,802
Fuel: $804
All-in estimate: $2,606

Return trip

Chicago → Dover$4,383

This direction runs 41% below the return trip. Leaving DE prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Dover to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Dover, DE to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,186	$2.79	$1,945 – $2,426
53' refrigerated	$2,606	$3.32	$2,268 – $2,945
48' flatbed	$2,671	$3.41	$2,297 – $3,044
Step deck	$2,916	$3.72	$2,449 – $3,382
Power only	$1,913	$2.44	$1,665 – $2,162
Hotshot	$1,443	$1.84	$1,198 – $1,689
26' box truck	$1,421	$1.81	$1,208 – $1,634
Sprinter van	$874	$1.12	$734 – $1,014

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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 Dover

53' refrigerated lanes from Dover, DE
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	157 mi	$1,414	$9.00	$1,230 – $1,597	1 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,812 mi	$7,802	$2.77	$6,788 – $8,816	6 d
Houston, TX	1,534 mi	$4,710	$3.07	$4,098 – $5,323	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,427 mi	$7,527	$3.10	$6,549 – $8,506	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	73 mi	$1,072	$14.69	$933 – $1,212	1 d
San Antonio, TX	1,732 mi	$5,231	$3.02	$4,551 – $5,911	4 d
San Diego, CA	2,769 mi	$7,693	$2.78	$6,693 – $8,693	6 d
Dallas, TX	1,490 mi	$4,595	$3.08	$3,997 – $5,192	3 d

More lanes into Chicago

53' refrigerated lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$2,918	$3.44	$2,538 – $3,297	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$8,194	$3.97	$7,129 – $9,260	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$3,391	$3.07	$2,950 – $3,832	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$3,983	$2.34	$3,465 – $4,500	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$2,450	$3.11	$2,132 – $2,769	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$3,715	$3.01	$3,232 – $4,197	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$8,092	$3.98	$7,040 – $9,144	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$2,983	$3.17	$2,595 – $3,371	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Dover, DE to Chicago, IL?

A 53' refrigerated from Dover, DE to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,606 all-in in October 2026, or $3.32 a mile over about 784 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,268 and $2,945.

How far is Dover, DE from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 784 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 $804 of the $2,606 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,802 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Dover, DE?

The reverse direction is estimated at $4,383, which makes Dover, DE to Chicago, IL 41% 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