Lane · HOT · Oct 2026

Helena, MT to Chicago, IL hotshot rate

$2,163hotshot

+3.5% from last month

Per mile: $1.47
Distance: 1,468 mi
Typical range: $1,795–$2,530
Transit: 3 days

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Hotshot · estimated all-in cost per load · monthly

Helena to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.1%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +24.6%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,245
Fuel: $918
All-in estimate: $2,163

Return trip

Chicago → Helena$3,867

This direction runs 44% below the return trip. Leaving MT prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Helena to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Helena, MT to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$3,237	$2.20	$2,881 – $3,593
53' refrigerated	$3,857	$2.63	$3,355 – $4,358
48' flatbed	$3,901	$2.66	$3,355 – $4,447
Step deck	$4,249	$2.89	$3,569 – $4,928
Power only	$2,865	$1.95	$2,493 – $3,238
Hotshot	$2,163	$1.47	$1,795 – $2,530
26' box truck	$2,117	$1.44	$1,800 – $2,435
Sprinter van	$1,295	$0.88	$1,088 – $1,502

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 Helena

Hotshot lanes from Helena, MT
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,276 mi	$4,353	$1.91	$3,613 – $5,093	5 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,099 mi	$1,718	$1.56	$1,426 – $2,010	3 d
Houston, TX	1,729 mi	$2,622	$1.52	$2,177 – $3,068	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,062 mi	$1,842	$1.73	$1,529 – $2,155	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,232 mi	$4,069	$1.82	$3,377 – $4,760	5 d
San Antonio, TX	1,639 mi	$2,502	$1.53	$2,076 – $2,927	4 d
San Diego, CA	1,168 mi	$1,807	$1.55	$1,500 – $2,115	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,472 mi	$2,277	$1.55	$1,890 – $2,665	3 d

More lanes into Chicago

Hotshot lanes into Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	847 mi	$1,619	$1.91	$1,343 – $1,894	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,063 mi	$4,618	$2.24	$3,833 – $5,403	4 d
Houston, TX	1,106 mi	$1,892	$1.71	$1,570 – $2,214	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$2,238	$1.31	$1,858 – $2,619	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	787 mi	$1,357	$1.72	$1,126 – $1,588	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,236 mi	$2,077	$1.68	$1,724 – $2,430	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,034 mi	$4,559	$2.24	$3,784 – $5,334	4 d
Dallas, TX	942 mi	$1,659	$1.76	$1,377 – $1,941	2 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Helena, MT to Chicago, IL?

A Hotshot from Helena, MT to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,163 all-in in October 2026, or $1.47 a mile over about 1,468 mi. Quotes typically land between $1,795 and $2,530.

How far is Helena, MT from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 1,468 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 3 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $918 of the $2,163 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,245 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Helena, MT?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,867, which makes Helena, MT to Chicago, IL 44% 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 →