Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Fort Smith, AR to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$2,701step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.98
Distance: 679 mi
Typical range: $2,269–$3,133
Transit: 2 days

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

Fort Smith to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +25.2%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,016
Fuel: $685
All-in estimate: $2,701

Return trip

Chicago → Fort Smith$3,596

This direction runs 25% below the return trip. Leaving AR prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Fort Smith to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Fort Smith, AR to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,015	$2.97	$1,794 – $2,237
53' refrigerated	$2,404	$3.54	$2,091 – $2,716
48' flatbed	$2,472	$3.64	$2,126 – $2,818
Step deck	$2,701	$3.98	$2,269 – $3,133
Power only	$1,759	$2.59	$1,530 – $1,987
Hotshot	$1,326	$1.95	$1,101 – $1,552
26' box truck	$1,308	$1.93	$1,112 – $1,504
Sprinter van	$806	$1.19	$677 – $935

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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 Fort Smith

Step deck lanes from Fort Smith, AR
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,378 mi	$6,310	$4.58	$5,301 – $7,320	3 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,611 mi	$5,357	$3.33	$4,500 – $6,214	4 d
Houston, TX	459 mi	$2,199	$4.79	$1,848 – $2,551	1 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$4,632	$3.87	$3,891 – $5,373	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,295 mi	$5,706	$4.41	$4,793 – $6,619	3 d
San Antonio, TX	558 mi	$2,487	$4.46	$2,089 – $2,885	2 d
San Diego, CA	1,548 mi	$5,180	$3.35	$4,351 – $6,009	4 d
Dallas, TX	264 mi	$1,634	$6.19	$1,372 – $1,895	1 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 Fort Smith, AR to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Fort Smith, AR to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,701 all-in in October 2026, or $3.98 a mile over about 679 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,269 and $3,133.

How far is Fort Smith, AR from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 679 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 $685 of the $2,701 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,016 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Fort Smith, AR?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,596, which makes Fort Smith, AR to Chicago, IL 25% 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