Lane · STEP · Oct 2026

La Mesa, CA to Chicago, IL step deck rate

$8,844step deck

+3.3% from last month

Per mile: $4.36
Distance: 2,029 mi
Typical range: $7,429–$10,259
Transit: 5 days

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

La Mesa to Chicago price history

3 months: +8.7%
1 year: +18.8%
5 years: +24.9%

Cost breakdown

Linehaul: $6,798
Fuel: $2,046
All-in estimate: $8,844

Return trip

Chicago → La Mesa$8,106

This direction runs 9% above the return trip. Leaving CA prices above the national average and arriving in IL prices below it.

La Mesa to Chicago by truck type

Estimated cost from La Mesa, CA to Chicago, IL by truck type
Truck type	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range
53' dry van	$6,779	$3.34	$6,033 – $7,525
53' refrigerated	$8,074	$3.98	$7,025 – $9,124
48' flatbed	$8,128	$4.01	$6,990 – $9,266
Step deck	$8,844	$4.36	$7,429 – $10,259
Power only	$6,025	$2.97	$5,242 – $6,808
Hotshot	$4,549	$2.24	$3,776 – $5,322
26' box truck	$4,444	$2.19	$3,777 – $5,110
Sprinter van	$2,712	$1.34	$2,278 – $3,145

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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 La Mesa

Step deck lanes from La Mesa, CA
To	Miles	Estimate	Per mile	Typical range	Transit
New York, NY	2,859 mi	$16,347	$5.72	$13,731 – $18,962	7 d
Los Angeles, CA	139 mi	$1,691	$12.16	$1,420 – $1,961	1 d
Houston, TX	1,524 mi	$7,276	$4.77	$6,112 – $8,440	4 d
Phoenix, AZ	343 mi	$2,734	$7.97	$2,296 – $3,171	1 d
Philadelphia, PA	2,785 mi	$15,187	$5.45	$12,757 – $17,617	6 d
San Antonio, TX	1,317 mi	$6,450	$4.90	$5,418 – $7,482	3 d
Dallas, TX	1,386 mi	$6,725	$4.85	$5,649 – $7,801	3 d
Jacksonville, FL	2,453 mi	$15,996	$6.52	$13,437 – $18,556	6 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 La Mesa, CA to Chicago, IL?

A Step deck from La Mesa, CA to Chicago, IL is estimated at $8,844 all-in in October 2026, or $4.36 a mile over about 2,029 mi. Quotes typically land between $7,429 and $10,259.

How far is La Mesa, CA from Chicago, IL by truck?

About 2,029 mi by road, estimated from the straight-line distance. A solo driver covers it in roughly 5 days of transit.

How much of the price is fuel?

About $2,046 of the $8,844 estimate is fuel at the current national diesel price; the remaining $6,798 is linehaul.

Is it cheaper to ship from Chicago, IL to La Mesa, CA?

The reverse direction is estimated at $8,106, which makes La Mesa, CA to Chicago, IL 9% more expensive. 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