Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

Houston, TX to North Chicago, IL step deck rate

$3,837step deck

+3.4% from last month

Per mile: $3.38
Distance: 1,135 mi
Typical range: $3,223–$4,451
Transit: 3 days

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

Houston to North Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.6%
5 years: +25.2%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $2,692
Fuel: $1,145
All-in estimate: $3,837

Return trip

North Chicago → Houston$5,165

This direction runs 26% below the return trip. Leaving TX prices below the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

Houston to North Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from Houston, TX to North Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$2,906	$2.56	$2,586 – $3,226
53' refrigerated	$3,463	$3.05	$3,013 – $3,914
48' flatbed	$3,520	$3.10	$3,027 – $4,012
Step deck	$3,837	$3.38	$3,223 – $4,451
Power only	$2,562	$2.26	$2,229 – $2,895
Hotshot	$1,933	$1.70	$1,605 – $2,262
26' box truck	$1,897	$1.67	$1,612 – $2,181
Sprinter van	$1,162	$1.02	$976 – $1,348

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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 Houston

Step deck lanes from Houston, TX
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	1,675 mi	$7,197	$4.30	$6,045 – $8,348	4 d
Los Angeles, CA	1,627 mi	$5,234	$3.22	$4,396 – $6,071	4 d
Chicago, IL	1,106 mi	$3,759	$3.40	$3,158 – $4,361	3 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,198 mi	$4,488	$3.75	$3,770 – $5,206	3 d
Philadelphia, PA	1,585 mi	$6,535	$4.12	$5,489 – $7,580	4 d
San Antonio, TX	224 mi	$1,471	$6.57	$1,235 – $1,706	1 d
San Diego, CA	1,532 mi	$4,976	$3.25	$4,180 – $5,772	4 d
Dallas, TX	263 mi	$1,580	$6.01	$1,327 – $1,833	1 d

More lanes into North Chicago

Step deck lanes into North Chicago, IL
From	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	860 mi	$3,294	$3.83	$2,767 – $3,821	2 d
Los Angeles, CA	2,059 mi	$8,958	$4.35	$7,524 – $10,391	5 d
Phoenix, AZ	1,705 mi	$4,375	$2.57	$3,675 – $5,075	4 d
Philadelphia, PA	803 mi	$2,781	$3.46	$2,336 – $3,226	2 d
San Antonio, TX	1,260 mi	$4,171	$3.31	$3,504 – $4,839	3 d
San Diego, CA	2,032 mi	$8,855	$4.36	$7,438 – $10,272	5 d
Dallas, TX	965 mi	$3,382	$3.50	$2,841 – $3,923	3 d
Jacksonville, FL	1,057 mi	$2,927	$2.77	$2,458 – $3,395	3 d

About this lane

How much does it cost to ship a truckload from Houston, TX to North Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from Houston, TX to North Chicago, IL is estimated at $3,837 all-in in October 2026, or $3.38 a mile over about 1,135 mi. Quotes typically land between $3,223 and $4,451.

How far is Houston, TX from North Chicago, IL by truck?

About 1,135 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 $1,145 of the $3,837 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $2,692 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from North Chicago, IL to Houston, TX?

The reverse direction is estimated at $5,165, which makes Houston, TX to North Chicago, IL 26% 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