Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Hickory, NC to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$2,385step deck

+3.6% from last month

Per mile: $3.73
Distance: 640 mi
Typical range: $2,004–$2,767
Transit: 2 days

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

Hickory to Chicago price history

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

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $1,740
Fuel: $645
All-in estimate: $2,385

Return trip

Chicago → Hickory$3,914

This direction runs 39% below the return trip. Leaving NC prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Hickory to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Hickory, NC to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$1,777	$2.78	$1,581 – $1,972
53' refrigerated	$2,119	$3.31	$1,844 – $2,395
48' flatbed	$2,182	$3.41	$1,877 – $2,488
Step deck	$2,385	$3.73	$2,004 – $2,767
Power only	$1,548	$2.42	$1,347 – $1,749
Hotshot	$1,167	$1.82	$969 – $1,366
26' box truck	$1,152	$1.80	$979 – $1,325
Sprinter van	$711	$1.11	$597 – $824

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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 Hickory

Step deck lanes from Hickory, NC
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	620 mi	$3,181	$5.13	$2,672 – $3,690	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,470 mi	$7,143	$2.89	$6,000 – $8,286	6 d
Houston, TX	1,078 mi	$3,675	$3.41	$3,087 – $4,263	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	2,063 mi	$6,722	$3.26	$5,647 – $7,798	5 d
Philadelphia, PA	529 mi	$2,727	$5.15	$2,291 – $3,163	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,285 mi	$4,227	$3.29	$3,551 – $4,903	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,411 mi	$6,991	$2.90	$5,872 – $8,109	6 d
Dallas, TX	1,067 mi	$3,645	$3.42	$3,062 – $4,229	3 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 Hickory, NC to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Hickory, NC to Chicago, IL is estimated at $2,385 all-in in October 2026, or $3.73 a mile over about 640 mi. Quotes typically land between $2,004 and $2,767.

How far is Hickory, NC from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 640 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 $645 of the $2,385 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $1,740 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to Hickory, NC?

The reverse direction is estimated at $3,914, which makes Hickory, NC to Chicago, IL 39% 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